FMs, Facilities Bombarded by Pokemon Craze
July 13, 2016
Museums, businesses and even military bases are getting caught up in the Pokemon Go craze
that is sweeping the world. But not every facility found to possess virtual monsters seems thrilled
to be part of the game.
The appbased game, available for a free download on iPhone and Android devices, uses real-
world places for players to search for imaginary items. According to
vox.com, the game uses a
phone’s GPS and clock to detect where you are and make the Pokemon characters appear
around you so you can go catch them.
The game often leads players to institutional and commercial facilities around the world — and
they aren’t always welcomed with open arms (or should we say heads glued to their phones not
looking where they walk?)
A Google search for Pokemon stories turned up headlines and articles such as:
• '
Pokemon Go pursuit reaches US military bases overseas' — stripes.com
• '
The Holocaust Museum kindly asks that you catch Pokemon elsewhere' —
mashable.com
• An article from the
Appleton (Wis.) Post-Crescent caught up with local gamers who
tracked down virtual items in places like the county justice center and an area cemetery.
• The World Trade Center and the Sept. 11 memorial also are attracting
Pokemon players,
according to the
New York Times.
The players have security employees at facilities such as the Holocaust Museum and the Sept. 11
memorial on edge, with so many potential distractions posed by even more people with their eyes
glued to their cellphones wandering aimlessly on streets and inside facilities teeming with people
on a daily basis.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the game itself,” Chris Desciora, a security guard at the
memorial, told the
Times. “But you know, maybe the game’s services could consider where they
are placing the Pokémon or whatever. You should come here to see everything and to respect the
memorial not just to catch a Pokémon.”
Has your facility been inundated with Pokemon players? Discuss on at myfacilitliesnet.com by
clicking on this link
here.
This quick read was submitted by Dave Lubach, associate editor for Facility Maintenance Decisions. Reach him at dave.lubach@tradepress.com.
Next
Read next on FacilitiesNet
