Written by Nancy Lee, as part of her Social Marketing Sightings theme.
A January 9, 2020, article in the Washington Post reported on some of the most recent advice for citizens surrounded by bush fires in Australia. Given the fact that late evacuation has been a major cause of bush fire fatalities, Australian fires services focused on discouraging people from leaving at the last minute and, instead, to:
• Take shelter indoors immediately
• Shelter in a room with 2 exits and a clear view of the outside, ideally on the side of the house farthest from the fire
Citizens were specifically warned that bathrooms were considered the worst room to shelter, with 37 people who had sought protection in a bathroom became trapped and perished.