http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/27/world/public-fire-safety/index.htmlThis is probably all common sense stuff for most people on this site, but it bears reviewing. Of course, when it comes to "crowded public gatherings" the best way to stay safe is to avoid such situations in the first place...but for those who enjoy that kind of atmosphere it may not be realistic.
You can't always protect yourself from obstinate law breaking. The club in question had 1 exit, no fire alarm, no sprinklers, few extinguishers and the band lit pyrotechnics on a stage that had foam acoustic insulation.
http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/only-one-exi...d-231-1.1132258 Eerily similar to the Rhode Island night club fire of 2003. I am involved in a building inspections association and believe me, this topic comes up a lot. Regulations, inspections and building codes have been further pressed for adhereance throughout N/A jurisdictions. A club in my local city has been cited several times for similar safety violations but the fines just aren't big enough to combat the blatent disreguard for the laws already in place. One hopes that they don't have to face the loved ones of the dead to actually figure out their culpability.
A couple of things to note regarding human behaviour:
0. Common sense is a misnomer and doesn't exist.
1. People gravitate to escape out the route they came in, even to the point of ignoring and running past obvious exits in favour of their memory of how they got into the building.
2. In an emergency, people will seek out their family/loved one FIRST before seeking the exit. This is especially true of mothers with children. People often delay their exit until they have also found their coats or personal belongings.
3. People follow the lead of others and often behave much like cattle during a stampede.
4. It takes quite a while for people to realize a serious situation and the danger it poses. During this period, people will often react slowly to exit and be relatively calm but as panic develops around them they also react much quicker.
A couple of the ways you can protect yourself:
A. Check out the fire exit locations as soon as you enter a new building. A 5-second scan can safe your life.
B. In the event of a fire, get out first, don't worry about finding your significant other(s), don't think about grabbing your coats - leave now. When the coast is clear then locate your friends. Yes, I know that sounds cruel but the time wasted in finding each other decreases your safety dramatically.
C. Unless the fire is the size of a wastebasket, forget get using an extinqhisher. Raise the alarm FIRST, then exit safely.
D. Walk, don't run. Panic begats panic.