From the Times online:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...0315-1,00.html

Cool article - makes good reading...

Paul

This happens in many aircraft ditchings, the people that survive such disasters often climb over the seats and those mentally paralysed waiting for someone to take control.

dave

"Contrary to popular expectations, this is what happens in many disasters. Crowds generally become quiet and docile. Panic is rare. The bigger problem is that people do too little, too slowly. They sometimes shut down completely, falling into a stupor."

The last fella sounds like a nut, but I guess he knew exactly what he was about in the end.

Hmmm...in a strange way I now want to be involved in a disaster to see how I would react.

I'm off on a "Crisis Management" course in a couple of months, and I'll let you now how it goes. No doubt they will be take great delight in making us uncomfortable...

dave

Don't forget to sing Cornish songs from your childhood when people get confused or look blankly at you.....

But I don't have any Cornish songs from my childhood. I am soooo screwed, aren't I?

I saw this kind of reaction myself once. As I was working on a beer stand on the 1st of May a coupla years back, some idiot suddenly started shooting. At first there was silence, then alot of people started running out of the Kaserne Areal, still in silence. There was a short announcement confirming that a gun existed and that people should leave. I was trying desperately to get the stand closed down so that I could get out too, but I was constantly stopped by people wanting their 2fr deposit on their empties back.

without Cornish songs you will never survive a plane crash...in a disaster all Cornish people are automatically saved.

And I need them from my childhood. No good learning any Cornish songs now is there.

EDIT: But, Yay, I can rely on my spongy softness, ability to regrow my limbs and other cartoon character powers to save me!

Look for the Cornish person and do what they do, they will be easily identifiable as
a. actually moving
b. singing.

I agree with the point that those trained to do something do. During the Tsunami, a friend of ours was in Sri Lanka. The hotel that he and his wife were staying in was badly hit, Mr M managed to get around 100 people moving and then went down to the cellar and saved another four. His is a teacher and well used to shouting and organising fire drills.

Also in a slight lie to that article..."Men of Cornwall stand ye steady" is not a song...Men of Harlech stand ye steady" is...maybe its Welsh people rather than Cornish that survive.

That's is a great article! Thank you for linking to it. I almost cried reading about the Morgan Stanley security guy.

I truly believe every word they are saying. We cannot save ourselves from every disaster but we can try and our chances will be a lot higher if we are mentally prepared. After the Estonia accident, I always check emergency exits on the ferries and I always put the family's clothes ready at reach close to the door. I always count the rows to my nearest exit on the plane and I still check the emergency card now and then even though I fly every other week etc, etc.

HA - you were there too?? I was a student, so the 2Fr meant a cheeseburger, worthy of life-risk....Never caught the guy if I remember correctly.