Plan a exit

[BigBill]

I taught my family to plan an exit no matter where you are. Wether your shopping at a mall, store, at the movies, etc. Sit there close your eyes and point to the exit. So you know in the dark which direction to go. Look for a safe spot closeby to hide too. A split second desicion could save your life in a bad situation. Stay safe, have a exit plan, godbless, bigbill

 

[GaryS]

Same goes for when I stay at a hotel. I scope out the fire exits. I also try not to stay above the 5th floor whenever possible.
When I'm in a restaurant or similar place, I always try to sit facing the door.

 

[BigBill]

I don't like crowded places too. These cowards are looking to shoot fish in a barrel.

 

[italiansport]

I try to avoid "gun free zones" as I think they have proven to be the most dangerous placed to be.
Jim

 

[wingriderz]

Yes always . I am amazed at folks out in public with
out a clue. This yesterday while waiting for wife to finish her doctors. She droped me off at Wal-Mart. Got my stuff and waited inside on bench. 99% of folks had zero clue of their surrounding.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Most jurisdictions adopt NFPA 101 (National Fire Protection Association). Some enforce them vigorously and some don't. Some business owners don't know any better or don't care and inspection may be infrequent.

When you enter a building the first thing you should look for is an exit sign. You may or may not see one but it's a good start.

But don't stop there. If you can see if the exit is blocked. According to NFPA it is not legal to block an exit or secure it in a way that prevents egress. See the pics.

This no joke. Seen it many times on the job. Before you sit go to the restroom and use it as an excuse to take a look around. Know what you're up against beforehand.

 

[BigBill]

Your right most people don't have a clue. Don't become a victim. Only you can save yourself with your family. Don't go towards the gun fire.

Copy cats is what I think about. Carry on with our lives but have a plan in place for survival.

I worked for a car dealer once. They sent me down the street to there body shop to drop off a car. The body guy was welding near a can of clicks. They wash the car down before painting. Well one welding spark went in the can. It blew up and caught the rags on fire next to it. I knew the way out even through the smoke. I was outside in a heart beat. I was asked why I ran outside. I just got married and had my first son. They need me.
If the guy is that careless what else is near by that's flammable. Run forest run.

At another job a electrical box shorted. It's a three phase box. The main breaker kicked out when it hit 1,000 amps. During the electrical short the orange ball of electricity made my helper freeze near it. I grabbed him and took him out of there. After the breaker tripped the old oil soaked oak floor started on fire. The three of us grabbed fire extinguishers and put it out. But I'll never forget the brightness of that orange ball at 12am.

There's three things we can't see ghosts, bullets and electricity. Unless it's glowing. Lol

It's about sizing up the situation in a split second and thinking what to do quick. Is everybody safe.

 

[Mainsail]

If there is an active shooter in an office environment- do not stand near the water cooler. In every movie I've ever seen the water cooler gets it first, and it usually explodes.

Don't talk to your sidekick about what you plan to do after the event is over; it's a harbinger of death. Also, don't pause to look at a picture of your family or girlfriend.

 

[NYlakesider]

I taught my family to plan an exit no matter where you are. Wether your shopping at a mall, store, at the movies, etc. Sit there close your eyes and point to the exit. So you know in the dark which direction to go. Look for a safe spot closeby to hide too. A split second desicion could save your life in a bad situation. Stay safe, have a exit plan, godbless, bigbill

One of the large chemical plants I used to do work for had fire alarms, safety showers and fire extinguishers all over the place.

They use to love to catch us contractor people by walking up to where we were working and ask do you know where the nearest alarm/fire bottle /safety shower is. If you did not answer right your contractor cought heck about it.

I learned early on to walk around a bit to look for ways out and the aforementioned equipment. Many times you could not see around a corner but that was the closest device not the one that was visible from your work place.

For that and the fact I grew up on the wrong side of the tracks I tend to consider myself "street smart" and without even thinking about it make certain plans.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I usually try to have two or three escape routes planed, in case the first gets blocked by escaping people or their bodies!

Ivan

 

[Watchdog]

Yes always . I am amazed at folks out in public with
out a clue. This yesterday while waiting for wife to finish her doctors. She droped me off at Wal-Mart. Got my stuff and waited inside on bench. 99% of folks had zero clue of their surrounding.

I seriously doubt you're a mind reader, so how do you know this? How do you know they're without a clue?

For all you know, every one of those people in that 99% that you label as clueless might be carrying concealed. And they might know every entrance and exit in the place.

Say you come in any place and sit down in the room I'm in. I might be wearing my jeans and an old hoodie. Might be sitting there staring into space. Might not look real bright to you. You don't know me from Adam and never will. But I've seen you come in and notice where you sit in relation to me and the door. I notice if you're carrying something like a bag. I've made no assumptions about you or your level of intelligence, but I am aware of you. You might think I'm clueless, but what you don't know is that I'm carrying a Glock 30S or a .45 Shield. That isn't Internet bravado...it'd be a fact.

I see this "they're clueless" sentiment from quite a few members here. You talk about 99% of people being clueless as if you think you're in the 1% of smart people because you're "situationally aware" and maybe you're carrying a gun. You're on top of it all, ready for anything. Fact is, you aren't the only intelligent person in the room or the theater or the mall or wherever you might be.

What really exemplifies "cluelessness" is making silly assumptions about people you don't even know, whatever you might be basing those assumptions on. Not only is it foolish, it could get you killed.

 

[Arik]

I was going to say something similar.

I can guarantee that the 1% has probably sat around and mentally wondered off for a what may have been a second but most likely a few minutes. Mind wonders, it's a fact. Most of the 1% is in the 99% quite often throughout the day! Here's just one example....ever walk away from a cashier while looking over your receipt? If so you could have missed a host of life changing events!!!!

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[PALADIN85020]

Never sit with your back to the door. Pick a place where you can view all people coming in. Note where the exit(s) are. Never sit in a booth except on the outside. Be sure you have unhindered access to your self-protection device(s). Always have a means of illumination (I have a flashlight the size of a pen that puts out a LOT of light).

As a side note, Wild Bill Hickock's experience taught me the first one. My dad taught me the next three. The last two I taught myself. My wife understands these concepts, and defers to me as to where we sit or don't want to sit in restaurants.

John

P.S. Never sit willingly near a place where there is a screaming kid or the obvious potential for one. Your right to quiet enjoyment and freedom from distraction would be at stake. And tell the host/hostess/server that you want the non-screaming kid section - seriously. My kids were each taught right away that the only time I wanted to hear them scream would be if they were in mortal danger or extreme pain. I have no patience with parents who allow their kids to scream for no reason in any public place.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

P.S. Never sit willingly near a place where there is a screaming kid or the obvious potential for one. Your right to quiet enjoyment and freedom from distraction would be at stake. And tell the host/hostess/server that you want the non-screaming kid section - seriously. My kids were each taught right away that the only time I wanted to hear them scream would be if they were in mortal danger or extreme pain. I have no patience with parents who allow their kids to scream for no reason in any public place.[/QUOTE]

It is amazing how quite small children can be, If they are trained to be so. I remember when we took the kids out to dinner for training. The youngest was 3 the oldest was 8. They understood they were there to have a nice time but it wasn't the playground! About 4 years later My wife was away at a conference and I had an emergency at work so I took all the kids to work then out to dinner, The restaurant sat us inside the entrance to the dinning room and a narrow table (Looked like the last supper!) People waiting to be seated didn't have a choice but to watch us, and in passing us they commented on how well behaved my kids were. Every person has some little incident in there lives that is unpleasant, but my kids NEVER caused us to be embarrassed in public. They also helped cousin and friends learn how to act in public.

Ivan

 

[richardw]

There is a lot of good advice in this thread. I really try to avoid places like malls, arenas, and other places that are usually crowd filled. If I do end up in such a place I look for the emergency exits nearest where I will be. Most people are not situationally aware. If the SHTF they will run for the main entrances because that is a spot they remember. Of course that is the worst place to try exit because it will bottleneck. Most. Folks in a mall for example could not tell you where the nearest emergency exit is. Know that and it could save your life.

 

[Usmc5811]

Yep a lot of good info here. And as far as quiet kids, mine learned from a young age that if they act up they immediately got taken outside and put in the vehicle until they got over their attitude. Back then I was still a smoker so it was a good chance to stand outside and have a cigarette while they screamed their lungs out. After about the second trip to the vehicle they learned to act accordingly.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

It's called "situational awareness" and "scoping out the territory". When I go to a shopping center or other familiar place I always park in the same spot, when I go some place unfamiliar I find a landmark to park by.
When I am in a situation that seems to be deteriorating I put on "The Look"
my mother saw in me after I came back from Vietnam.
I was an Eagle Scout-"Be Prepared".

 

[BigBill]

It's always the Boy Scout in me that has me prepared. There is no time to be slacking when it comes to our safety. Don't lose it stay calm.

 

[Bat Guano]

I don't like "surprises".

Most of the time, anyway.

 

[straightshooter1]

I musta missed something. One of the earlier posters ahd some good info (most everyone else did, too) but he commented that, when staying at a hotel, he tries not to stay above the fifth floor.

What, if anything, is magical about the fifth, fourth, third floors?

There's little change in the outcome if one falls from the fifth floor rather than the tenth (except waiting time, I guess) if one tries to escape through the window.

Bob

 

[Arik]

I musta missed something. One of the earlier posters ahd some good info (most everyone else did, too) but he commented that, when staying at a hotel, he tries not to stay above the fifth floor.

What, if anything, is magical about the fifth, fourth, third floors?

There's little change in the outcome if one falls from the fifth floor rather than the tenth (except waiting time, I guess) if one tries to escape through the window.

Bob

I'm guessing proximity to the ground floor and the exit

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[digiroc]

It's not how high you can jump from ...

... What, if anything, is magical about the fifth, fourth, third floors?...

It's about how high the Fire Department's ladder truck can reach.

digiroc

 

[Whitwabit]

I always try to sit with my back to the wall and the exit(s) in plain view .. and if at a restaurant where the kitchen door is .. it could be the best and quickest place to egress ..

when staying in a motel the wife and I walk down to the stairways on both ends and walk down them to see where they exit to if staying other then the ground floor ..

We try to stay below the 3rd floor as my wife has breathing conditions that would hamper her fast exit above that level .. most places are quite accommodating if you have health conditions that need to be addressed ..

 

[rwsmith]

This must be...

This must be some of that 'situational awareness' stuff that I need to work on BAD.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I taught my family to plan an exit no matter where you are. Wether your shopping at a mall, store, at the movies, etc. Sit there close your eyes and point to the exit. So you know in the dark which direction to go. Look for a safe spot closeby to hide too. A split second desicion could save your life in a bad situation. Stay safe, have a exit plan, godbless, bigbill

Problem comes when that's the only exit and the crowd piles up in the doorway, or when the bad guys shoot everybody coming out the exit. Both have happened recently . . .

 

[Muss Muggins]

99% of folks had zero clue of their surrounding.

How did you determine that?

 

[The Big D]

A question for those...

...who claim they always sit facing the door or with their back to a wall. So where does that place the friends, family members, whomever who are accompanying you?

Are they your cover/concealment?

For the record, in the beerroom I frequent there are multiple doors. I sit at the bar...better to flirt with the beertenders and get rapid service.

Be safe.

 

[Kanewpadle]

...who claim they always sit facing the door or with their back to a wall. So where does that place the friends, family members, whomever who are accompanying you?

Are they your cover/concealment?

For the record, in the beerroom I frequent there are multiple doors. I sit at the bar...better to flirt with the beertenders and get rapid service.

Be safe.

Why is it that you're always right and everyone else is wrong?

I sit facing the door. My wife sits opposite. We have a plan. We are prepared. If you can't understand that, well.............. You don't know as much as you come across as knowing.

 

[The Big D]

Huh?

I'm 'always right' has never been claimed, stated, or implied by me.

That said, kindly share your 'plan' so we might learn from it.

Be safe.

Why is it that you're always right and everyone else is wrong?

I sit facing the door. My wife sits opposite. We have a plan. We are prepared. If you can't understand that, well.............. You don't know as much as you come across as knowing.

 

[vt_shooter]

Being aware and taking common sense measures to stay safe costs you nothing and doesn’t detract from your freedom. But I can’t buy into avoiding crowded places like malls, etc, out of fear. Out of 330 million people in the country, how many are killed each year, on average, by a whacko mass shooter? I’d guess less than 50 or 75. More than that probably get run over walking in grocery store parking lots or riding bikes, and we don’t stop doing those things (most of us). It’s a numbers game of sorts, and the odds are in our favor. So you take the common sense precautions, but you still do what you like to do. You shouldn’t let paranoia that isn’t supported by numbers drive your life.