When my daughter was three and four, she used to watch this video called – well, actually I don’t remember. What I do recall is there was this cartoon dog character giving suggestions on how to get out of the house in case of fire. It had some good advice on knowing where all the available eXits are, making sure there is no clutter on the stairs that could hinder escape, checking to see if the door is warm to find out whether an eXit might be blocked, staying low when there is smoke because the air’s better closer to the ground, and identifying a meeting place to gather when everyone has gotten out.
Recently, she was required at school to go through this drill put on by the local fire department, which involved climbing out a window. She NOW wants us to practice the drill I had been showing her on TV five or six years earlier.
I’m supposed to be in charge of our department’s eXit strategy at work in case of fire or other emergency. The current building owners are not very helpful with feedback, but I do know: the nearest eXit may not be the most obvious, and to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
One of the most distracting part of flying is that pitch about the best way to get OUT of the plane, should one need to do so. Certainly, it is not what I most like to think about, but when the flight attendant says, “Know where your nearest exit is, making note that it may be behind you,” I ALWAYS look for it, whereas, it appears, most people keep reading their magazines.
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Gary David Goldberg, ‘Family Ties’ and ‘Spin City’ creator, dies at 68, My favorite of his credits was the short-lived TV series Brooklyn Bridge.
At least if people keep reading their magazines, you’ll be the first one there.
All I think about is this Sesame Street clip with an orange ball looking for the ‘exit…
I think about what a tinderbox my house is with so many books and paper. I have windows in all the rooms that theoretically I could jump out of although my bedroom window would be a pretty fair drop and other windows would land me in prickly bushes.
when we lived in a 3-story house in the country, my mind sometimes dwelt on the idea of how we would eXit in case of fire.
Yes, sometimes it’s a relief to find the exit!
Fire! Well I do hope that we will not experience that! If I have to jump out of my bedroom window, I really must find the courage to do so. It’s not very high, only 2,5 metres, but I have a fear of heights.
Roger, I hope today was okay with you!
Wil, ABCW Team.
Oh gosh! I always look for it, too! Once they sat me right at the rear exit and wanted me to be able to push it open if necessary…I opted for a different seat! Too scary for me to even consider.
Leslie
abcw team
I agree thinking about eXiting a plane in an emergency is disturbing. We always count the number of doors to the nearest exit when in hotels as well, just in case……
A very responsible post, Roger, – good to remind people of the advantages to knowing where the nearest Exit is, – if I go to an event I am not particularly liable to enjoy I always sit close to the nearest eXit!!!
EXit is a sign that has universal application. Have seen it in many, many countries. Kate, ABC Team
Good advice as we sometimes forget to always look for the other exits as well in restaurants, offices and stores. Know how to get out is one of the rules for robbers and the FBI, cops, etc. Listen to that smart daughter of yours. cheers Rog.
I remember stopping in the top room of a country house once, there was a rope ladder rolled up by the window for possible escape. Happily it was not required. Exits are good things to remember, it sounds like you and your daughter are the perfect fire team.
My husband who is in charge of Health and Safety at a university, is big on knowing your eXits, too. I love the story about your daughter wanting you to practice eXiting in case of fire. We did that in our family, too. When they were little, the kids loved it and found it very exciting, but when they were teenagers, there were groans of embarrassment! Great post!
Be prepared 🙂
I live in a 2 story townhouse and when I purchased it, I also purchased exit ladders for the two upstairs rooms that had windows quite high up. The one on the side of the house, would be a straight drop down, while the front window overlooks the garage roof and would be easier to escape from. The rear window would be a drop onto fences and the a/c unit. Having an exit strategy is a leftover from my days as a Girl Scout apparently!
Wonderfully addressed and people often forget to take note of eXit.
The reading magazines bit while the cabin crew explain the safety procedures is just an act. A sort of I’m a nonchalant, man-of-the-world, seasoned traveler routine when really they’re nothing of the sort. I know this because I do it myself!
Your post reminded me of a character of a character in a Man from Uncle novel I read fifty years ago. This particular bad guy was called Tixe Ylno and all that Napoleon and Illya knew about him was that his name was Exit Only spelt backwards!
We had fire alarm in our Edinburgh Hotel at 3 am. The main fire exit door was locked, but I found another one. Anyway I didn’t take the alarm very seriously and actually wanted to stay in my room, but the other guests insisted that I go out too. When we arrived outside, in a side street, it was all over. They never told us what happened.
I’m one for finding the exit in all the different places I go. It’s great you have an exit strategy.
Ann
Not only do I suss out the nearest exit on an airplane, I count the number of rows from my seat to the door!
I look for the nearest exit too! I checked our new home for exits too and we have many!
in many Chinese restaurant, they cluster up the exits.
or were a white glass cover with EXIT written in red that fit directly over a single-bulb light fixture . The inherent flaws with these designs were that, in a fire, the power to the light often failed. In addition, the fixtures could be difficult to see in a fire where smoke often reduced visibility, despite being relatively bright. The biggest problem was the exit sign being hardly distinguishable from an ordinary safety lighting fixture commonly installed above doors in the past. The problem was partially solved by using red-tinted globes instead.