Assess Before Responding to Emergencies
Due to the current state of the world and the continuous media coverage of tragic events, we were in public places like never before. But reacting before you think can be just as dangerous to you and others as the perceived threat, especially when you are in a crowded environment.
The moment something seems wrong, we tend to assume the worst and fall into insanity. This is the “flight” part of our “anti-flight” systems. But, according to J. Keith Still , professor of crowd science at Manchester Metropolitan University, it’s much better to stay calm and take a few minutes to survey your surroundings. Nonetheless, Popular Science explains :
“People who run without thinking have recently caused a lot of serious injuries. Evaluate, don’t react. It can take just a few seconds to change the result. “
Still’s researchers found a marked increase in injuries due to perceived threats versus real threats. Basically, people panic and hurt each other more often, even if there is no real threat. Still, says Still, the reason is most likely our increased collective sensitivity to danger. We see so much violence on TV and on the Internet that we have forced ourselves to expect it when we go out.
Rather than rushing into action and potentially making the situation worse when you feel threatened, Still says, don’t immediately start bumping into people in front of you to get away. Not only can you harm others for no reason (for example, if the threat is not real), but you can also pave the way for a retreat right behind you that you did not notice. You can even learn to better understand the situation and scan your environment for escape routes the moment you enter them to give yourself an edge. But even if you don’t, remember that it is better to take a deep breath and absorb as much information as possible than rush hopelessly into the crowd.