Preparedness Pop Quiz

It's Monday morning. For those of you sitting at your office desks, quick: Where is the nearest emergency exit?

If you know, good for you. Now here's your preparedness assignment for the week.

Find the nearest exit. Then find a second one (in an emergency, the first one may be blocked). On your way out of work this week, pick a day to take the stairs out of the building. Time how long it takes. Ladies, do your heels give you trouble? Do you need to take them off to get down the stairs faster? (Please don't turn your ankles in this exercise.)

Extra credit: this week, practice situational awareness. Try to be aware at all times where the nearest exit or escape route is, what people around you are doing, and whether any of them don't fit in. If a gunman were to suddenly come on the scene, what could you take shelter behind?

This quiz was inspired by The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - And Why by Amanda Ripley.