Re: Bomb Threats

["S. Cottrell" <steph -at- SCOTTRELL -dot- COM>]

My Jr. High School had a bomb threat when I was in the sixth grade.  It was
our first bomb scare, so they had to create a new procedure, which they
called "Lion Alert" (our mascot was a lion).  Since the bomb scare happened
in the dead of winter in a Chicago suburb, we were told to go to our
lockers, get our jackets, and meet on one of the nearby streets.  Fire
drills don't work for this, because the students are supposed to meet on
the school playing field-- close enough to be hit by shrapnel.

Pretty scary.

I think this does have to do with techwriting, by the way.  I recently had
to write instructions for receptionists on how to page the entire building
in case of an emergency.  Since the nature of the emergency might be
sensitive information or something that could cause a panic, I had to write
tactful reminders to stay calm and give people only the information needed,
and no more.  It was the first time that I actually felt as if something I
wrote could, possibly, someday, save a life.  That's a hell of a lot of
responsibility-- I have a lot more respect for other tech writers because
of it.

Regards,
Stephanie Cottrell
S. Cottrell
Technical and Business Writer
steph -at- scottrell -dot- com
http://www.scottrell.com

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