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You are here: Home / Language / Who Invented the Panic Button, What Was it Used For, and Where Did it Come From?

Who Invented the Panic Button, What Was it Used For, and Where Did it Come From?

February 8, 2020 by Karen Hill

The first panic buttons were installed in bombers during the Second World War.

If his plane was hit by enemy fire, a pilot could push a button that set off an alarm throughout the aircraft.

The crew responded with a drill, which, in severe cases and if a crash was imminent, could lead to the entire crew bailing out.

When too many servicemen chose to parachute when hearing the alarm even though the situation wasn’t critical, pilots were advised to think twice before “pushing the panic button.”

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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