Awareness Is Your Best Companion in an Airliner Emergency

James Bigger, president of River Valley Bank in Russellville, Ark., says he’ll never feel the same again about flying. Judy Thacker, bank vice president and his longtime friend, was one of nine passengers who died when American Airlines Flight 1420 crashed on landing June 1 at the Little Rock Airport.

“She will always be on my mind when I get on a plane,” Bigger told an NPR reporter. “I’ll be thinking about exit doors and those other things I never paid any attention to before.”

Pay attention.

That’s the basic piece of survival advice for airline passengers all the experts agree on.

Pay attention to where you are seated on the plane.

Pay attention to what the flight staff is telling you.

Pay attention and you will be prepared.

Ironically, it’s the most frequent travelers who are most blase about passenger safety tips. They have watched flight attendants go through the drill countless times, but, right now, could they repeat the drill on activating the oxygen mask or using the seat cushion as a flotation device?

If they can’t do it now, how do you think they’ll fare when they are fumbling around in a panic?

You don’t have to be paranoid about air travel--just be smart. It’s true that the overwhelming odds favor a safe flight, but for every accident there are dozens, even hundreds of unusual circumstances that can happen during a flight.

For a passenger, the most likely emergencies will require using the emergency slides or using the emergency oxygen system, so be prepared.

“Get involved in your own safety--there’s a lot you can do to protect yourself as an airline passenger,” advises consumer advocate Ralph Nader, the co-author of “Collision Course: The Truth About Airline Safety” (TAB Books of McGraw Hill, 1994).

Like other experts, he emphasizes a basic list of steps that seem simplistic but could save your life.

ON THE PLANE:

* Review the safety briefing card in the seat pocket in front of you. No matter how often you have flown, carefully read the card, which illustrates safety precautions. Read it before takeoff, but even consider studying it during the flight. It has a diagram of the plane you are on, indicates the exits and illustrates safety and emergency measures, including fastening your seat belt, donning the oxygen mask, assuming the “crash position,” locating exit lights and using the escape chute. Make a mental note of all these drawings.

* Listen carefully to the oral safety briefing, which repeats and demonstrates the safety precautions on the written card. As you listen, envision yourself going through the motions.

* Locate the nearest emergency exits (spot at least two of them) and count the rows between your seat and the exits. Memorize the number so you can find your way out in case you are blinded by smoke or darkness.

* Mentally plan your escape. Take a moment for a little drill, planning what you will do in an emergency evacuation. Which way will you turn? How many rows will you travel? Don’t expect to rely on a flight attendant’s instructions because the flight attendants might be injured or otherwise unavailable.

* If traveling with an infant, bring a safety seat. It is virtually impossible to hold on to a baby during a crash sequence or strong turbulence. Infants held in laps can be badly injured or even killed.

* Report to the flight attendants anything that might seem amiss. Passengers hesitate to do this for fear of appearing foolish, but there are accounts of passenger observations saving a flight from an accident. If you’re seeing something that looks like ice on the wings, for example, say so.

* Know your responsibilities if you are seated next to an exit. This includes opening the door after you have determined it is safe to do so. You need both physical prowess and a cool head.

* Remain alert during takeoff. Many people “fortify” themselves by taking a pre-flight tranquilizer or a stiff drink, but most accidents occur during takeoff or landing and muddled thinking won’t help anything. (Flying nonstop reduces exposure to the most accident-prone phases of flying.)

* During the flight, keep your seat belt fastened and keep movement around the plane to a minimum.

* Always wear sensible shoes when traveling.

SHOULD AN EMERGENCY OCCUR:

* Stay calm. Panic kills.

* Follow flight attendants’ instructions.

* Assume the “crash position” described on the briefing card.

* Leave your carry-on luggage behind. (This should be obvious, but there are accounts of people blocking aisles during evacuations as they try to retrieve their belongings.)

* If there is fire or smoke, stay low (but don’t crawl--you could be trampled), follow the floor proximity lighting and exit as quickly as you can.

* If there has been a water landing, be sure to take flotation devices, such your seat cushion or life vest.

* If you evacuate on a slide, jump into the center with your arms crossed at your chest and your feet together.

* Once outside, move away from the the aircraft and help fellow passengers who need assistance.

PREFLIGHT:

* Clip this list, and toss it into your suitcase. When you pack for a flight, review it.

Connie Koenenn can be reached by e-mail at Connie.Koenenn@latimes.com.