Mall Safety: Precautions to Take During an Emergency at Your Local Shopping Center

My youngest son and I, sadly enough, were discussing the subject of safety recently after we had been back-to-school shopping. My son was concerned because he had seen something on a TV show about someone attacking a mall, and he was worried it might happen to him or even me when I was shopping at our local mall.

He knew what the basics were that he'd been taught in school in regards to safety, but not how to use those basics elsewhere.The school system has a great program in place should there be an emergency: lockdown, natural disaster, emergency exits, etc. That is a given. But my son was concerned about what he should do if we were perhaps in a mall when an emergency situation occurred.

The simplicity of the information that follows, is so that it can be used virtually anywhere and granted, most of us will already know to do this, but to tell a child who is worried what steps to take, this may make that child feel more in control of what might well be an uncontrollable situation.

The first thing we decided we should do is STAY TOGETHER. This sounds easy enough but in case you are separated in a mall from your family, you should always have an emergency place to meet both inside and outside the mall. We decided that since we both know so many people in Bath and Body Works and since it is almost in the middle of the mall that would be a good place to go should something happen if we were shopping in different areas. If we were near an exit we would then make our way to the nearest gas station and wait there for word of the other person...we would under NO circumstance try to find the other person in a mass of bodies....waiting for word or the person to show up is the wisest option available and the safest as well.

If we were together when something happened, we would search for the nearest exit and make our way to it as quickly as possible. If it happened to be blocked or inaccessible, then we would go to "plan H" as my son called it. This is basically HIDE!

Whether or not you realize it or not, almost all clothing rounders have a base upon which a small adult or several children can stand in the middle of the clothing and which holds your feet ABOVE floor level, so if someone is searching the racks for people hiding, your feet will not be visible. (Check it yourself and see the next time you are in a store...I think you'll be surprised at how strong these rounders are and how easy it is to hide there!) There are also often cubbies under counters or shelving units covered with tablecloths in the cosmetics department. These also are a great place to hide until the coast is clear enough to run for an exit. Another place to hide might be a storeroom as these have many shelves where one might hide and pull a box in front to mask yourself from others. This, we decided was a last resort though as we don't know our way around storerooms as well as we do on the sales floor itself.

One important part of a situation, such as the one in Virginia, is that of contacting authorities. This is when it is imperative that you change your cell phone to that of NO RING or VIBRATE as soon as possible if you are in fact trapped inside the area of danger. This can be done silently on most phones while the phone is flipped open. If you do in fact contact with 911, and are concerned about someone overhearing the operator...cover the earpiece of the phone with your hand or wadded up clothing but leave the mouthpiece open so the operator/dispatcher can hear all that is going on around you.

Try your phone in your pocket turned on vibrate to see if it also makes a noise when you check out these scenarios at home...if your phone does in fact make a sound, choose the NO RING option and go from there. Do not turn the phone off as you may need it in an instant and not have time to turn it back on in time. If you can in fact talk safely, give your location and a description as completely as possible to the dispatcher. Do NOT hang up the phone as what the dispatcher may hear may be important information needed to apprehend the individual concerned. It is important to relate any and all hallmarks of the store such as "I am in the cosmetics department by the main mall entrance" or "I am in the juniors department on the side by the theatres." This will make it easier for them to locate you and others when the coast is clear.

And one very important part to remember is do NOT come out of hiding unless you are 110% sure that no one is around or unless you hear someone announce themselves as POLICE. Do not hang up your phone, ask the operator/dispatcher if the police are in fact in the building and when you are given the go ahead, then and only then should you leave your place of hiding. Remind your child that ANY noise can most likely be heard and this is the time to be SILENT...no whispering is allowed until the coast is clear.

Now, I know this sounds serious but it is folks. Both of my sons know what to do should there be an emergency in a mall or any other public place. We have made a game out of parting the clothing and finding places to perch should we need to hide and in fact we even know where many of the storerooms are in most of the stores. This was not done in a way to frighten either child but only as an FYI instance....it can be done in a very low key manner but I assure you, if your child should need the information they will remember your instructions.

In this day and age, it is sad to say but we MUST teach our children what to do "IF" something should happen. Not only may it save their life should such an incident occur, but it will give your child a sense of strength and control over what may well be a hostile situation.

Remember, you can teach your child how to protect themselves without frightening them and you can learn yourself. I know one woman who swears she would use this advice if the situation warranted it and to tell the truth, so would I. Safety is foremost anymore and "bad guys" don't always have masks on their faces or look like a Cruella De Ville....sometimes they can be as common as the man or woman next to you in line. These people have a lot more to lose these days should they be caught, so with due respect, we should take that seriously enough to learn how to protect ourselves and our families as well. I figure if they are desperate enough to do what they have done, then I am determined enough to protect myself and my children should the need arise.

Take care, and stay safe. Hopefully you will never have to use the above advice but if you do, good luck and keep your head down. Heroes are for comic books. Let law enforcement handle the hard stuff and you protect your own until they come. I for one, certainly intend to.