We all remember the horrible pictures and video footage when the twin towers were burning up. We watched at home on our televisions as news broadcasts were televising the live coverage of people trying to escape and firefighters frantically trying to reach those that were trapped in the top floors of the buildings. Some of the most horrible scenes we saw that day were the people who ended up jumping out of the windows. They did this as a last resort because they preferred to jump and fall to certain death rather than being burned alive.
We can not imagine being in that position. To have no other choice except jump from a height like that would give most of us a heart attack just thinking of it. Some people have to go to work in these kinds of buildings each and everyday. It is a miracle that they are still brave enough to do so after the twin tower tragedy, but that was not the first time that it happened and it will probably by no means be the last. It is unrealistic to live in fear all of the time. We have to live our lives and sometimes that might require that we enter a tall building or skyscraper at one time or another if not everyday.
How do you think you would react if you were on the twentieth floor or higher in a building like the twin towers? The day the twin towers were burned and collapsed, instead of the usual panic, some people did not get out as quickly as they should. Some were going to get out in the beginning, but thought that everything would be alright and stayed inside too long. This was a mistake and is anytime there is a fire in a building that tall.
You should never panic if you can avoid it, but you should begin to make your way down and out of the building as soon as you know there is a fire. Do not take the elevators. We all know that. You could be trapped inside them if the power goes off or it could be damaged by the fire itself. Always take the stairs. Depending on how many flights you have to go down, you should go quickly, but not at a pace that will exhaust you too quickly.
Once you get out, never go back in. Even if you want to help, leave that to the professional firefighters because chances are you could become trapped inside again and only add to the job they have to do. No one really knows how they would react in a situation like this, but it is something to think about so that your plan of escape will be in the back of your mind somewhere just in case you ever are. |
