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.”
