In the unlikely event of an emergency evacuation from an aircraft, your best preparation includes:  wearing slide-friendly clothes and shoes, being aware of your closest emergency exits, following flight crew and flight attendant instructions, and leaving all your possessions behind when you go:

• When you get to your seat look around to see where your nearest exit is – in front of you, behind you and across from you.  The closest emergency exit may change depending on what kind of aircraft you fly and where you’re seated in the aircraft. 

   

• Count the seat rows from your seat to the nearest exit, and don’t forget, the nearest exit can be behind you.  In the event of smoke or if emergency lighting fails and it’s very dark, you want to know the number of seat rows so you can feel on your way to an exit. By counting the seat backs you’ll know when you’ve reached the exit row.  Before the plane takes off, memorize the number of seat rows from where you’re sitting to your nearest exit. 

 

• Know how to open the nearest exit when you get there – see the safety briefing card.

 

•  Keep the overhead storage bins free of heavy objects.  In severe turbulence overhead bins may not be able to hold all the contents and can break open.  Objects could escape and fly out everywhere in the cabin, or fall on you causing injury. 

 

• Listen to the flight attendants.  Their primary purpose on the aircraft is safety.   Do whatever they tell you to do when they tell you to do it.  Ask questions later.

 

•  Pay attention to the flight attendant safety demonstration.  Read the safety card.  I know, you’ve heard and seen both a thousand times and you already know everything.  Well, in an emergency you don’t want to have to stop and try to think of what to do next, you just want to do.  If you over-know something, you’ll be more likely to overcome the panic and confusion of the moment and act quickly and efficiently. 

 

•  When you’re in your seat, go through a mental exercise and visualize in your mind what you would do if suddenly you had to get up out of your seat and get out of the aircraft.  Flight attendants do this while they are sitting in their jump seats each time before the aircraft takes off and before it lands.

 

•  Always keep your seatbelt fastened when you’re in your seat.  Clear air turbulence has no warning and can cause severe injuries. 

 

• If the emergency oxygen masks drop down, put your own mask on first.  This will decrease the risk of you passing out before being able to help your children or other passengers.

 

•  To help the circulation in your legs on long flights, get up and walk around the cabin from time to time. 

 

• Don’t drink too much alcohol.  Because of the pressurized cabin, one drink in the air is like having 2 drinks on the ground.

 

•  In the unlikely event of an emergency evacuation, promptly follow the directions of the flight attendants and flight crew and exit the aircraft as quickly as possible.  Do not stop to collect your belongings first.  Just go.

 In Summary –

*  Wear proper clothes and shoes on the aircraft.

*  Be aware of your nearest emergency exit from your seat.

*  Know how to open the emergency exits.

*  Keep heavy objects out of the overhead bins.

*  Mentally visualize what steps you would take in an emergency evacuation.

*  Keep your seatbelt fastened while you’re in your seat.

*  If the oxygen masks drop, put your mask on first before helping others.

*  Walk around the cabin on long flights from time to time.

*  Don’t drink too much alcohol.

*  Listen to the flight attendants and flight crew, and promptly follow their directions.

*  Do not stop to collect your belonging in an emergency evacuation; just get out of the aircraft fast.