Code words?

[Tom]

I have heard "Inspector Sands" used as a code word in both Victoria Station and in various underground stations.

 

I don't have a problem with people (the public) knowing what it means - the use of a code word instills a sense of control.

[Wilf dLampy]

Until you hear the announcement "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Mr Sands is chasing me down platform 2....3....4... :** laughs out loud **:

[kalmatthew]

The amdram I help at tends to use mr Dopler or Dr. Dopler

[DanielArkley]

I will have to educate my crew now, even though I only have 3 days left with them before I hand over my job to a Yr 10 :** laughs out loud **:

 

BTW, any Alan Partridge fans can join me in saying "Hot Topic" :** laughs out loud **:

[minimac]

we use rule Britannia as a code word for fire, dont have one for a bomb, not that im aware of!

[SparkySteve]

My old place used to use Mr Sands and Mr Black for fire and bomb respectively.

[Ike]

Did some work in a nightclub...presumably the Amps where linked to the fire alarm system

This to me would seem like a bad idea, I have been involved in writing the evacuation procedures for one of manchesters biggest clubs and the thing we concentrated on was maintaining calm and ensuring good communication between staff and the public. Not only might killing the music cause panic when combined with instructions from staff to evacuate but the loss of the PA would make communication very difficult, especially to people used to the high sound pressure levels of your average club.

[Wilf dLampy]

We have a link between the fire alarm system and the PA in our club. If the fire alarm goes off, you need the PA to be silenced so you can hear the siren (we had some flashing beacons installed but they look too much like fuzz lights :** laughs out loud **: ) The house lights are also automatically triggered.

 

This enables the security team to communicate easily with the punters, instead of competing with the DJ, who hasn't seen flames so is still playing.

[Ike]

We ended up using a flashing beacon in the DJ booths and code songs and words, all DJ's were either supervised by house staff or put through an in depth inhouse training course so they could initiate the evacuation along with the senior staff, of which there were 3-5 on site all with emergancy pagers.

[Wilf dLampy]

We've never had a problem with people panicking during evac tests, or when some drunk punter accidentally breaks a glass at 1 in the morning. I think if they saw flames it would get worse, but then I'd rather they could see the flames in a brightly lit room with no lound music than in a dark, music filled room.

[the kid]

I will have to educate my crew now, even though I only have 3 days left with them before I hand over my job to a Yr 10 :(

I have no crew to educate ;) . So guess who may go back to school for the big show in november.

[DanielArkley]

That would be me :(

[Techno_Monkey]

The code word for fire at our school is Albatross :(

[it3986]

I work in the Bristol University Union Theatres and we use the code words Mr Sands (for fires) and Mr Mayo (for bomb threats) which in recent evacuations we have found not only keep the audience calm and crew informed but also reduce the number of mis calls as all too often the words "fire" and "bomb threat" creep into cans in oooh so innocent ways with the pyrotechnician "firing" or using a "bomb tank"and FoH conversation although they shouldn't but the code words are something that everyone on the crew recognize and seem to move quite quickly on hearing them. One thing we do need though is a differnt word for the building alarm as the reaction is different to a fire in the theatre so perhaps a 3rd phrase for this would be good.

Another thing to consider is the speech/reaction your going to have. I am currently preparing a Mini Disk which is to be kept on the sound tower with the default speech on so should the SM be inaudible or too busy calming the fire/being knocked over by lovvies over this can be played over the PA nice and loud so all can hear its calming tones. "Ladies and Gentlemen, due to circumstances beyond our control it has become necessary to suspend this evenings performance....."

 

Ian

UBU-STA

[Jivemaster]

The reason for a code word is to pass vital information to staff without causing alarm among the public. Whether the electric alarm system controls the lights sound or anything else is a matter for discussion with your local Fire Authority and they will look at the scale of the hazard as well as the risk if its occurance.

 

remember most fire alarms are false alarms and it is usual to check before declaring an emergency. In a fire all people should exit without posesions using only safe exits (not through a fire location) In a bomb alert, the Met's advice was to get everybody to find and keep hold of their posessions then to wait for advice as to a safe way out (the bomb may not be in the function but it may be in a doorway or corridor, If a premises has to be searched for a bomb then having thousands of coats and bags left by fleeing punters hinders the search.)

 

If "Mr Sands" is in the Foyer then the coded message should say this so that those doors can be secured against smoke etc and Jo Public pushed out another way. In a Fire situation some people may have to fight the fire these will not be available to assist the evacuation. If the seat of the fire is larger than a dustbin it is unlikley an amateur will extinguish it and only playing with hot fires prepares you to know how to do it. I was trained as an airport fireman years ago and two factories owe their continued existance to that training - I never saw a real fire on the aerodrome!!

You cant beat asking the local brigade to train you all in fire awareness