Fire drill… in darkness

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It was a fire on a second floor ward. Most of the patients were either comatose or bedridden.
As figures emerged from the smoky darkness in the stairs, I watched the frightened, tearful, and dishevelled soot-in-hair and uniformed nurses and staff carrying each patient on a stretcher or tied to the arms of a chair.
It struck me that fire drills had never, never ever been done in total darkness! The drills were always carried out in brightly lit departments.
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“… According to the travel expert, it is essential to “always count the number of doors to the exit stairwell”, Cici said on a recent TikTok video.
This is in case there is a fire and “it is too dark or smoky” for hotel guests to see where the exits are.”…
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Have you ever participated in a fire drill with all the lights out?…in total darkness?
… something to think about!
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Thoughtful post.
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Thank you for your comment.
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A fire drill in the dark would be quite the experience!
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It will be a disaster…. unless they have phosphorescent lining tapes at the bottom of the wall, leading towards exits!
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Doing a fire drill in the dark would be an interesting experience. Certainly mimics the reality more closely!
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All those fire drills in bright lights we had been doing are all quite a farce! But they were still practised to get staff used to the processes!
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What an obvious idea, but I have never heard of it being done! I do check where the fire exit is, but hadn’t thought to count doors.
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This idea is from an experienced air stewardess who traveled a lot.
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Fortunately, though I have never had to do that, this wonderful advice.
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I have, personally, yet to see a fire drill conducted in total darkness.
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That could be chaotic.
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On the contrary, the fire drills went on deceivingly, too well!
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Battery power lights are supposed to kick in…
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Only on exit signages so that people can crawl toward the exit doors…( That is provided they work!).
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