Jesselp, I am not taking offense at your post --- I am assuming that you are totally correct.

"So it's not so surprising that people did not evacuate on their own - we have been trained over and over again that self- evacuation is NOT what you are supposed to do."

No one is going to 'train' me to ignore what could turn into a life-threatening situation. NO ONE. If the people in command (and I simply don't care if it IS 'supported by the fire marshals and FDNY') are of the opinion that they are going to do my thinking for me, they are mistaken (and out of their effing minds).

Their departmental egos and assumptions helped cost 2,605 people their lives, and injured a few thousand more.

How many disasters were followed by bureaucrats saying, "But we didn't think anything like this would ever happen"?

Just because something hasn't happened doesn't mean it won't.

Sue