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418 Building Theatre Patronage
made in such a way that no hint is given of the fire. For instance, the manager can announce that city authorities have requested that the audience leave the theatre as quietly and as quickly as possible to test the exit facilities of the theatre, and that they will be re-admitted after the test. Or, the announcement can be made that because of an emergency in the neighborhood, city authorities have requested that the audience leave the theatre immediately. The word "fire" should never be used.
If members of the staff are at the exit doors when the manager is making this announcement, and if plently of exit space is noticed by the audience, and if the staff directs different sections of the audience to the different exits, there should be no injury.
Of course, the position of the fire-alarm box should be known by different members of the staff, and the method of operating this box clearly understood by all. If there is a fire-alarm box on the stage, it should not be covered by stage props. It should be easily accessible at all times.
Using the telephone rather than the fire-alarm box is not advisable. If the fire-alarm box is not on the stage, but in the neighborhood of the theatre, its exact location should be known, because every minute of delay is serious in a real emergency.
Inspection.
After the audience has left the theatre it is important that the manager and the staff search the basements, dressing rooms, rest rooms and other rooms where members of the audience and members of the staff might be unaware of the emergency. The periodic inspections of the theatre by members of the fire department will give the manager the opportunity of pointing out the layout of the theatre, so that in an emergency the work of the firemen will not be hampered.
Every manager should realize that in a fire the members of the fire department take control of the situation and any interference by him can cause his arrest. However, he should have previously pointed out to firemen on inspection tours those places where water damage would be serious.