Citation
Wilson, H.C. (2003), "Editorial", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 12 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2003.07312baa.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited
Editorial
An old topic I know, but …
Once again we have examples during February of old lessons not being learned or no responsive action being implemented.
Again, a public place with locked emergency exits. People died unnecessarily in the crush to escape.
Again, a fire in an underground tube station with little or no effective response. People died unnecessarily due to the failure of the operators to respond in an effective manner.
One of the major purposes of this journal is to highlight those areas of concern so that emergency planners may evaluate the identified risks and make those that they advise aware of those risks. This, I am absolutely sure is being done.
But, operators, business chiefs, property owners are not picking up the challenge to make their operations safe. Understandably there may be reservations with regard to cost of implementation, but, there is also the cost in human life to be considered.
How do we get this message over?
The locking of emergency exits and escape routes is illegal in most countries when the facilities are being used by the public. Yet, there is a current history of such events occurring worldwide. Nobody seems to learn – nobody seems to listen.
Tunnel systems are hazardous places and the public using these systems require protection should a fire or other major calamitous event occur. Little can be done to prevent someone spilling flammable material in a tube train and setting light to it. You just cannot search everyone, but, when the fire occurs, the emergency systems should engage an effective automatic response. First, you do not let other trains enter the area containing the fire. Second, it should not take several minutes to find out where the fire is occurring on the premises.
We can teach the proper responses, we can advise, we can cajole, but what we cannot do – is make people learn if they do not want to.
All we can do is keep on trying.
Henry C. Wilson