Pensacola State College
“The News The Students Choose.”
October 2015
Haunted House Etiquette Needed for Season By Brad Andrews and Katherine Chen
H
aunted houses are places of fun and excitement. Places where people can go to get an adrenalin rush that keeps them coming back for more. But sometimes the apparent horror is too real, and the rush is more than they can handle. Humans have a basic fight or flight reflex that can be triggered when situations get too frightening. This reflex causes people to react, often violently, without full awareness of their actions. Their only thought is to survive, and they will do whatever is needed to satisfy that goal. Unfortunately, even when the danger is only simulated and the antagonists are only actors, innocent people can get hurt. Haunted house actors, who are often unpaid volunteers, are frequently slapped, pushed, punched, kicked and even bitten by scared guests. Guests who are overcome by fear and simply forget that the “zombie” is actually a 16-year-old kid react violently to get away from the situation. Amber Kurson, haunted house actor, unfortunately knows firsthand what it is like to be the victim of bad haunted house etiquette. During her time as an actor in a California haunted house, she was assaulted by guests on numerous occasions, including being kicked in the stomach. Despite being the victim of other’s fight or flight reflexes, actors are not supposed to give in to their own reflexes. “We aren’t supposed to touch guests, and when someone hits me, my first response is to hit back, which is clearly a no. You aren’t supposed to break character, so the time I got kicked in the stomach, I had to not show any
anger or surprise because the group that goes though could tell someone higher up who could report on all of us,” Kurson said. Injuries from guests are not the only danger for haunted house actors. The job can be very physical, and like all physical jobs, injuries can occur. Common maladies include “Haunted House Throat” from screaming all night and repetitive stress injuries such as “Cleaver Arm” caused by repeatedly performing the same motion night after night. In order to protect both the actors and guests, haunted houses are starting to implement new safety policies. One such policy is the use of security guards to check guests for weapons before admitting them to the house. Another procedure being implemented at more extreme haunted houses is a safe word. This is a word that will stop the terror and grant a frightened guest a swift exit from the facility. How does one safely enjoy a haunted house? According to Robyn Kimberly, haunted house actress, you should only go through the haunted house if you know you can handle it. “If you are jumpy don’t go alone. Do not come armed, even fake armed. Don’t try to scare the volunteers with realistic props either; the volunteers are there to entertain you and keep you safe.” If you are interested in having some frightening fun this Halloween season, check out some of these local haunted houses.
Just be sure to remember that the actors are there to provide you with some spooky entertainment, not to cause you any harm.
Local Haunted Houses to Visit • Ghastly Ghosts of North Seville Walking Tour:
Pensacola, FL (10/16-10/17, 10/23-10/24, 10/30) • The Dark Woods at Forty South Farms: Robertsdale, AL (10/23-10/24, 10/30-10/31) • Murder and Mayhem Walking Tour: Pensacola, FL (10/16, 10/17, 10/23, 10/24, 10/30) • Redlight Walking Tour: Pensacola, FL (10/17, 10/23, 10/24, 10/30) • Haunted Hayride at Whispering Pines Christmas Tree Farm: Milton, FL (10/16-18, 10/23-25, 10/30-10/31) • Tragedy and Terror of South Seville Walking Tour: Pensacola, FL (10/16-10/17, 10/23-10/24, 10/30) • Trolley of the Doomed Tour: Pensacola, FL (10/17, 10/23-10/24, 10/30)
PHOTOGRAPHY & GRAPHIC BY BARA’AH JARAISEH
In This Issue • New State Board of Education Funding Formula • 3D Printing • Scary Movie Reviews • Bring Back Warrington • Reader Responses • Humans of PSC