AIBU to think customers’ behaviour about evacuating in the heavy rain was childish

[Loppp]

I visited my local supermarket this morning. It was dry at the time. The supermarket’s fire alarms were going off, when the thunder and lightning happened along with torrential downpours.

Some customers were being difficult to evacuate the store as it was raining! Guessing that from those who moaned at the staff and security were the older side.

How pathetic did these customers sounded?

The fire assembly point is not under cover.

I was evacuated from the swimming pool at a gym wearing only my swimming costume. A very kind man lent me his jacket. People moaned about it a bit but I don't remember anyone trying to stay inside.

The fire alarms went off in the supermarket i worked in. A light fitting in the toilets was smoking so fire brigade was called. Trying to evacuate was a nightmare, tut-tutting and moaning, dithering around, and it wasnt "old" people moaning, it was people of all ages

Apparently addresses that call in fires have details of how many appliances should be directed there (so if a hospital calls a fire, a lot of appliances are dispatched).

Also some calls have to be entirely scoured before the all clear is allowed. Thsi can take a while if there are a lot of passageways, rooms and cubby holes. (Apparently Oxford Circus tube station has 7 miles of foot tunnels that need checking)

A department store in my town caught fire about 30 years ago. An elderly couple died because he couldn't get down stairs in his wheelchair and she wouldn't leave him. It was tragic. Perhaps regular fire drills would have prevented this and ensured there were proper escape routes.

I think this is probably the wrong thread for sympathy.

I mean being upbeat, generally it's the smoke that kills you quickly. Especially if you can remember to take deep breaths.

I taught in secondary schools for many years. Students tend to be very casual about fire drills. They want to take their bags, wait for their friend who is the next classroom, chat on the way to the assembly point...cue MrsBeWarmKoala getting very cross.On one occasion when we had a genuine incident ( heat sensor triggered in science lab but no uncontrolled fire) and it was interesting to say the least.

Kingdomofsleep
Do you drive the same route everyday? Ever notice how your attention wanders while you're driving it? And yet you should have your mind on the road and its hazards, just the same as on a foreign motorway.

A high percentage of RTIs happen within half a mile of the home of one or other vehicle's driver.

In the trade we used to call it "but everyone knows I always turn right there" syndrome.

This fits right in with the suggestions upthread that many people (of every age, dashitall! Some of the stupidest refusers I have encountered when evacuating a building was required were, as one might expect, adolescents – who know better than everyone about everything) continue on their preordained courses even if a fire alarm goes off and they might die if they don't deviate from their original plan.

So why mention you were guessing ‘the older side’ ? I still don't understand what 'the older side' means anyway, older than 18, 30, 60, 90 ?

It wasn’t the grammar; it just didn’t make sense.

But combining guessing with a non-specific like ‘older’ is meaningless.

OP wasn’t staff. They should have been concentrating on getting themselves outside.

Focusing on ‘the older side’ was 'older side' bashing.

Yes, people should get out as soon as possible (without panic pushing etc.). I suggested the OP was wasting time making some half-arsed attempt to analyse the age of people not complying. I wasn’t disagreeing with you.

YABU with the ageist claptrap

I believe the tutting, whinging is louder from older people. Younger people keep their comments to themselves

Well I can understand the privacy thing but not the health and safety. Cardiac arrests aren't catchable or dangerous to others

Oh but it is. Think about how you use words

grumpygrape
Yes, people should get out as soon as possible (without panic pushing etc.). I suggested the OP was wasting time making some half-arsed attempt to analyse the age of people not complying. I wasn’t disagreeing with you.

OP didn't actually say the people she guesses were older (how can she not tell if someone is older or younger? Hard of thinking?) refused to leave; she said they moaned about it to the staff, gratuitously implying that this was "older people", which (having been in such situations) I would bet it was not, exclusively.

In any case, how thoroughly unreasonable of anyone of any age to moan about having to go out into the pouring rain when they were not expecting to, eh? Such stupid folk shouldn't be allowed out at all.

And "younger people keep their comments to themselves", do they? Does this OP live in the same world that I do?

I mean is the amount of space a person receiving treatment on the floor and those attending them do block aisles and ignorant idiots stepping over them

From my experience of working with the general public older ones are more vocal in general. Though get the odd younger one screaming at the staff

I think your analysis is incorrect but I recognise you have a right to your belief.

Hilarious, OP.

It really doesn't help when the "fire marshall" on your floor accidentally mentions there will be a fire drill at 10 on thursday...
And yes, that happened a lot - until I mentioned it to HR.

I’m not sure why you mentioned very heavy people when the previous poster mentioned wheelchair users or do you ‘guess’ all wheelchair users are very heavy.

Or was it just an opportunity to have a pop at very heavy people instead of olders?

Yanbu they dont have to stand outside in it, if they are customers they can get in their car and go home and do their shopping another time! World has gone mad when people are defending people's right not to evacuate during a fire drill - wtaf?!

As an employee I do have to stand outside during fire drills. Is it annoying at times? Yes, do i have a little mutual moan with a colleague? Yes. Do I complain to our fire wardens and refuse to leave? Of course not!

I think she's going for the full bingo card.

I think it's referred to as "meandering"?

Oh, and just to add to this informative thread...

If you are at home or at work it's assumed you know how to get out of a burning building - you are familliar with the layout etc...know where the keys are DH 🙏🏻

Different factors come in to play with shops and hotels that you may only visit once - also things like sports stadia whether it be for footy or a concert.

It's fascinating - especially part B of the Building Regs, and all the linked legislation regarding MOE (means of escape).

No

Everywhere I have worked has had a well publicised fire alarm test ... leading to jokes that the best time for an arsonist was 11am on the first Tuesday of the month.

I do wonder how many fires a year break out when a an alarm test or drill is due ?