Guest MINDSETTER ™ Bob Sweeney: The Need to be Informed

Friday, November 20, 2015

Guest MINDSETTER ™ Bob Sweeney

 

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The recent tragic loss of over 45 young lives at the “Colectiv” nightclub fire in Bucharest, Romania brings to mind similar devastating incidents caused by the disregard of accepted life safety regulations. In the deadly “Kiss” nightclub fire in Santa Marie. Brazil in 2013 that took the lives of 230 patrons and the “Station” nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI (Rhode Island) in 2003 with the loss of 100 guests, safety regulations were ignored. 

In Bucharest newspaper accounts state that there was only a single exit for approximately 400 attendees. Some were young children as they were allowed to attend with their parents. The band ignited pyrotechnics inside the club with flammable walls (styrofoam) and caused the deadly fire that followed. In the “Kiss” fire in Brazil accounts from the scene claimed there were inoperable exit doors for the large crowd in attendance. The “Station” fire in RI had at least two other emergency exits but no prior announcements were made as to their locations. Also pyrotechnics ignited the flammable decorative styrofoam walls. 

After the “Station” fire the RI General Assembly convene  a special Legislative panel to review the cause and effect of that fire. This session resulted in stiffening the existing RI State Fire Codes. Sprinklers in public assemblies with 100 or more occupancy became mandatory. No flammable material can be used inside on walls, ceilings or floors, and public notification of all secondary exits doors and their safe paths of egress are required prior to an event. Other states have since adopted a few of these changes.

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Higher life safety measures should be adopted worldwide where 100 or more gather for a public function. Places like nightclubs, performance theaters,  wedding receptions, large business meetings, church and civic social events,  and cruise ship theaters, should have prior public notification of all emergency exits and their paths of egress. 

The paramount need is for all to be informed so as to have a plan for a fast exiting path from a serious hazardous incident. In RI the regulation calls for a single prior announcement for most public gatherings as the audience is usually captive for the entire event once they arrive. In nightclub style entertainment the regulation calls for multiply announcements between each set as the guests are very fluid and may leave or arrive at various times during the daytime or evening performances. This announcement can be recorded and played as required similar to the on going announcements at airports alerting all not to leave bags unattended.

The sound reason for making owners, managers, and staff make the required audio announcements is that when they comply they will then be aware of the need for emergency exiting.  In their daily housekeeping chores they will be sure all paths of egress are unobstructed and the emergency exits doors open from the inside and swing to the outside. This regulation is passive, low tech, and cost effective for all to comply.

Today the need is not only to be prepared for a fast emergency exit from a fire but also from gunfire from a deviant behavioral perpetrator,  planned terrorist attack, toxic gas release, and the loss of electric power in the evening.  When attending any public assembly function we should all take responsibility to be on the alert for the notification of all emergency exits. If there are no regulated announcements then take the time to  search for the location of all emergency exits and the corresponding safe paths of egress. Your live, and those of your family members, and friends may depend on your resourcefulness at this critical time.

Bob Sweeney is the President of RES Associates in Warwick. 

 

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