EVACUATION!EVACUATION!

Understanding Behavioral Understanding Behavioral Aspects of Emergency Aspects of Emergency Response in IndividualsResponse in Individuals

David R. Blossom, ALCM, CFPS, CIF1David R. Blossom, ALCM, CFPS, CIF1

Sr. Consultant—Amerisure PCGSr. Consultant—Amerisure PCG

Why This Topic?Why This Topic?

Revelation—ChallengedRevelation—Challenged

““I think that when people die in fires I think that when people die in fires it’s not because of panic, it’s more it’s not because of panic, it’s more likely to be the lack of paniclikely to be the lack of panic” ”

Neil TownsendNeil Townsend Divisional Fire OfficerDivisional Fire Officer London Fire BrigadeLondon Fire Brigade

Why This Topic?Why This Topic?

We must understand how people We must understand how people react.react.

This will allow us to—This will allow us to—Anticipate challengesAnticipate challengesConduct Effective PlanningConduct Effective PlanningAvoid evacuation problemsAvoid evacuation problemsProvide effective trainingProvide effective trainingSave more livesSave more lives

How We ReactHow We React

Incident PerceptionIncident Perception

RecognitionRecognition ValidationValidation DefinitionDefinition EvaluationEvaluation CommitmentCommitment ReassessmentReassessment

RECOGNITIONRECOGNITION

Identification of cuesIdentification of cues Elements of notificationElements of notification How we first become awareHow we first become aware Prior personal experience a factorPrior personal experience a factor Threat recognitionThreat recognition Often cues must be overwhelmingOften cues must be overwhelming

Event RecognitionEvent Recognition

Event recognition Event recognition Different Different

recognition/same recognition/same eventevent

Different Different response/same response/same recognitionrecognition

Key elementsKey elements Individualized Individualized

FactorsFactors

Recognition CompleteRecognition CompleteWhat Next???What Next???

Movement from realization to Movement from realization to reactionreaction

VALIDATIONVALIDATION

Validate the initial cuesValidate the initial cues Ambiguity = more informationAmbiguity = more information More information = delay in responseMore information = delay in response Reassurance of the situationReassurance of the situation Action not taken yet--confirmationAction not taken yet--confirmation

DEFINITIONDEFINITION

Relating information to the individualRelating information to the individual Just what are we experiencingJust what are we experiencing Correct identification of the incidentCorrect identification of the incident Proximity and magnitudeProximity and magnitude Lack of definition = increased stressLack of definition = increased stress Personalization of the threatPersonalization of the threat Most stress before definition occursMost stress before definition occurs Structure and interpretation to defineStructure and interpretation to define

EVALUATIONEVALUATION

Understanding the situationUnderstanding the situation Necessary to develop responseNecessary to develop response Development of strategiesDevelopment of strategies Initial decision makingInitial decision making Putting it all togetherPutting it all together Formulating a responseFormulating a response Initiating responseInitiating response

COMMITMENTCOMMITMENT

Initiate the behavioral responseInitiate the behavioral response Formulated in the evaluation processFormulated in the evaluation process Results in the active responseResults in the active response To a perceived threatTo a perceived threat Results: completion, partial Results: completion, partial

completion, non-completion of completion, non-completion of response strategy.response strategy.

NON-COMPLETION RESULTSNON-COMPLETION RESULTS

ReassessmentReassessment CommitmentCommitment

REASSESSMENTREASSESSMENT

Most stressfulMost stressful Failure of previous attemptsFailure of previous attempts Increased intensityIncreased intensity Less selective responseLess selective response

SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMESUCCESSFUL OUTCOME

Commitment / Commitment / ReassessmentReassessment

Rapid decrease in Rapid decrease in anxiety anxiety

Reassurance Reassurance

SUCCESSIVE FAILURESSUCCESSIVE FAILURES

Increased anxietyIncreased anxiety FrustrationFrustration Probability of success decreasesProbability of success decreases Increased potential for panicIncreased potential for panic Alternatives decreaseAlternatives decrease Less responsiveLess responsive More reactiveMore reactive

PANICPANIC

Is Panic bad?Is Panic bad?

What is Panic?What is Panic?

What causes What causes Panic?Panic?

Is Panic Good?Is Panic Good?

PANIC BEHAVIORPANIC BEHAVIOR

A fear-induced flight behavior which is A fear-induced flight behavior which is non-rational, non-adaptive, and non-rational, non-adaptive, and nonsocial, which serves to reduce the nonsocial, which serves to reduce the escape possibilities of the group as a escape possibilities of the group as a whole.whole.

Flight or fleeing behavioral response Flight or fleeing behavioral response that also involves extravagant and that also involves extravagant and injudicious effort. injudicious effort.

NONADAPTIVE BEHAVIORNONADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR

Panic BehaviorPanic Behavior

Reentry BehaviorReentry Behavior

RescueRescue

EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THISEVIDENCE SUPPORTS THIS

Multiple studiesMultiple studies Panic often not a factorPanic often not a factor Should have beenShould have been Understanding Understanding

FIRE STUDY RESULTSFIRE STUDY RESULTS

Panic is very rarePanic is very rare Central motivation—seek informationCentral motivation—seek information Often a social responseOften a social response Problems encountered during Problems encountered during

“normal” building use will be “normal” building use will be exacerbated during an emergency. exacerbated during an emergency.

REALITY—WHAT WE DOREALITY—WHAT WE DO

Investigate Investigate conditionsconditions

Compare with Compare with experiencesexperiences

Decide on action(s)Decide on action(s) NOT “code” relatedNOT “code” related Familiar entry Familiar entry

routes most often routes most often selectedselected

We’re Only HumanWe’re Only Human

““You must think about people’s You must think about people’s reactions to a fire in terms of the reactions to a fire in terms of the three basic stages of making sense three basic stages of making sense of what’s going on, preparing to act of what’s going on, preparing to act and then acting”and then acting”

David CarterDavid CarterProfessor, Liverpool UniversityProfessor, Liverpool University