Werkstuk: Deadly Decorations
Deadly Decorations
When Christmas decorations caught fire in Volendam, there was no
escape: exits were blocked, or could not be reached through the
crowds. Licences had been issued, though. Rules and laws are there to
be obeyed, or are they? If they are for our own safety, why do we break
them on a large scale? Are you going to be safe in clubs, discos and
pubs?
It was new years evening when the decorations in a pub in Volendam caught
fire. It became a disaster; 14 young people lost their lives and nearly 200 were
wounded. Everyone was shocked and a lot of people didn’t feel safe anymore
in clubs, discos and pubs.
Are we still safe in pubs and clubs? The government started an investigation
into the safety of pubs and clubs. They discovered that a lot of them weren’t
safe at all! Too few fire extinguishers or no fire extinguishers at all, too few
emergency exits or blocked ones, inflammable decorations and too crowded
places.
A lot of this has improved now because of the new laws for safety. The
government has tried to make public places safer, but I still think that
people aren’t going to be safe in these places when the place catches fire. Still
too many people are being let into pubs and clubs. When a fire starts not
everyone is going to make it to the emergency exits; when a big crowd is in
panic a lot of people are going to be trampled.
It’s very hard to guaranty total safety in public places, but the safety in the
Netherlands has improved since the Volendam-disaster. The risk of a disaster
wouldn’t hold me back from going out to clubs, but most of the time I check
the emergency exits so I know where to run if the place catches fire, and I
think a lot of people do!
I think that, generally, we are quite safe in clubs; the risk of a fire is not that
large, and if a fire starts most of the people know what to do.
When Christmas decorations caught fire in Volendam, there was no
escape: exits were blocked, or could not be reached through the
crowds. Licences had been issued, though. Rules and laws are there to
be obeyed, or are they? If they are for our own safety, why do we break
them on a large scale? Are you going to be safe in clubs, discos and
pubs?
It was new years evening when the decorations in a pub in Volendam caught
fire. It became a disaster; 14 young people lost their lives and nearly 200 were
wounded. Everyone was shocked and a lot of people didn’t feel safe anymore
in clubs, discos and pubs.
Are we still safe in pubs and clubs? The government started an investigation
into the safety of pubs and clubs. They discovered that a lot of them weren’t
safe at all! Too few fire extinguishers or no fire extinguishers at all, too few
emergency exits or blocked ones, inflammable decorations and too crowded
places.
A lot of this has improved now because of the new laws for safety. The
government has tried to make public places safer, but I still think that
people aren’t going to be safe in these places when the place catches fire. Still
too many people are being let into pubs and clubs. When a fire starts not
everyone is going to make it to the emergency exits; when a big crowd is in
panic a lot of people are going to be trampled.
It’s very hard to guaranty total safety in public places, but the safety in the
Netherlands has improved since the Volendam-disaster. The risk of a disaster
wouldn’t hold me back from going out to clubs, but most of the time I check
the emergency exits so I know where to run if the place catches fire, and I
think a lot of people do!
I think that, generally, we are quite safe in clubs; the risk of a fire is not that
large, and if a fire starts most of the people know what to do.