limit orders do work in fast markets. but they work as advertised (you know, the fine prints).
execution is firt placed, first served, so you may miss the fill altogether if too many people did strike your price level before you..
in a fast market, if the trade is good for me, I place a limit order way out of the market, just to be filled (and not end up missing totally the profit because I would try to pinpoint the right level). if it is against me, I squeeze my rear end (sorry for the picture) and just wait one minute or two, then place the trade (loss or not).
This is specially true when the emini moves but nothing else (not the cash, and not the ES for instance). It happens, and I don't care the reason.
As for known scheduled reports, I am NEVER, I repeat NEVER in the market at these times. Unless you move size and you hold overnight, it is really stupid to be in a position when it happens. Pros know that, Software is confused by it (bids disappearing for instance) it's just pure gambling (in the losing sense).
Maybe you win, probably you don't.
but beside these, you can't avoid fast markets. Depending on your risk tolerance (based on your capitalization), if it is too fast, you should get out (place a break even limit order or something).
my 2 cents
tntneo