PREPAREDNESS QUICK TIP #14:
KNOW YOUR EXITS
Typically, you hear this kind of talk from those in the military, police or some guy on the run from the mob. You know, that guy who always sits alone in a restaurant, back to the wall, facing the exit? But it’s an important Preparedness Quick Tip you can do without having to make friends with Vinnie the Shark.
No matter where you are, you should always know where the exits are. Not so that you can run from Vinnie when he shows up with his associates (and what exactly did you do to get their attention!?), but in case an emergency arises where you need to be able to escape a room quickly. One of the biggest causes of injury during an emergency is the panic that happens when people don’t know where to go, and they race around and are injured, or escalate their injuries.
If you are in an office building and there is a fire, if you’ve familiarized yourself with where the exits are, you have a better chance of escaping the chaos. If you’re in a crowded room and a shooter enters, you have a better chance of escaping if you know where to go instead of freezing. This is one of the reasons you get the big speech during pre-flight on airlines, and they make sure you know how to find the exits.
And, if you’re the kind of person that has a man named Vinnie the Shark wanting to become your shadow, knowing where the other exits are so you can run. Run really fast.
• READ MORE: PREPAREDNESS QUICK TIPS COMPLETE LIST
I do this all the time! I even taught my kids to do this. In fact, I taught them that if there are a lot of people running for exits, they could even escape through a stock room where there are emergency exits.
It is better to know every emergency exits of the establishment you’re in for you not to get panic.