The frozen calm of normalcy bias

If people don't know how to deal with a situation, they can't begin to deal with it, so they don't deal with it.

This is why we're given countless safety lectures. Look at the exits and plan your exit route. In the event of an earthquake, a fire, a flood, do this. Drills and practices, even if only done in a person's imagination, at least give them the basic tools that they need when dealing with an emergency.