Originally Posted by
USD2BUSMC
But as a passenger, smelling fuel, seeing smoke, and hearing evacuate...I am getting off the plane as quickly as possible, even if it means a 20 ft jump.
And that is the reason for the FA to assess the situation outside their assigned exit(s). Take this situation and add a wing rupture, with fire around the rear of the plane. Are you still going to jump out of one of the rear exits? Even opening one of the exits can present problems in a crash - smoke and/or flames entering the cabin.
In an emergency situation, doing the wrong thing is often worse than taking extra time to do the right thing.
Jim