November 26th, 2010, will be the day that parents will make their mad dash to the shopping malls to get the presents that their sons and daughter have pleaded to have all year. It will also be the day that retail stores will open all night, open early, and open late, to give customers the best service hours to accommodate what has become the biggest shopping day of the year.
However, as shoppers hit the stores on Black Friday it is important to remember Jdimytai Damour of Jamaica Queens, New York. Damour was pushed to the ground by a 2,000 plus crowd of shoppers on November 28, 2007 as management was preparing to open the retail store where he worked. The force of the stampede killed Damour, injured a pregnant mother, and hurt numerous people. Like the recent tragedy in Cambodia, innocent people are trampled to death in a stampede because of the panic and hysterics that grips a crowd when utter chaos breaks out. People who have been victims of a stampede never forget the horror of being helpless as people step on them.
The rush to find the prized toy or great bargain should never eclipse great customer service and good customer behavior. Shoppers will wait in line as the doors open to shopping malls and stores all over the country; however, the same courtesy and good manners that should be a staple of shopping must also be present on Black Friday. Sales Associates should speak to customers to let them know that they will be promptly served. Security guards should calm crowds before the doors open, and parents should remember that finding the right gift is always possible if safety is employed first. The store where Damour was killed was forced to close the morning of the stampede.
Kimberly Cribbs, who was present when Damour was killed in the stampede, said that the Black Friday shoppers "acted like savages," as they stepped on and over Damour. The National Retail Federation, which is the largest Retail industry group, reported that Damour's death was the first time that a retail store worker was killed on the job in the shopping event known as Black Friday.
Most people who are in a stampede do not intend to hurt anyone. The injuries result from the sheer force of human bodies being push by a surge of adrenaline and fear. There is no way to run or avoid a stampede. Shoppers should never run or panic. The retail store where Damour was killed opened later in the afternoon on the day of the stampede but shoppers were not in the same holiday spirit knowing that someone had lost their life in a stampede.
Stores in the Metro area will be open with special hours to accommodate customers. There will be incredible sales and bargains across the region. Hopefully all customers will remember the life of a gentle man who lost his life trying to help people to shop.
Black Friday is November 26, 2010, at stores all over the nation.
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