Jet `fire' a case of hypervigilance, say experts

Mumbai: Tragedies be it an aircrash, earthquake or a bomb blast have a way of ricocheting back into the collective consciousness long after the last physical signs of the catastrophe are gone. That is why, mental health experts say, even three months after the Mangalore Boeing 737 crash, the flying community pilots, flight attendants, passengers at times respond in an overcautious, exaggerated manner to seemingly innocuous events.
Consider last week's Jet Airways emergency evacuation episode. Flight attendants sitting at the rear end of the aircraft saw "fire'' emanating from the left engine and the commander of the Mumbai-Chennai flight opted for a "precautionary evacuation'' while passengers scampered to the exits and sustained injuries in the process. "The manner in which the crew and passengers panicked is a classic instance of hypervigilance brought on by constant exposure to disasters,'' said Dr Harish Shetty.
According to medical textbooks, people with hypervigilance are constantly tense and "on guard''. He or she will display an increased awareness of his/her surroundings, at times frequently scanning around for potential sources of threat. They also tend to react instantly, giving in to their worst fears.
02/09/10 Malathy Iyer & Manju V/Times of India

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Categories: airports Sep 2010, Jet Airways Sep 2010, Safety Sep 2010