FAILED COMMUNICATION THREATENS STUDENT SAFETY
With recent concerns over school safety, it has become crucial that students and staff are well aware of the necessary procedures to take in the event of an emergency on campus. Several weeks ago, the fire alarm was triggered by smoke resulting from a chemistry lab experiment. When the alarm sounded and continued to blare, some teachers evacuated with their students while others remained in their classrooms. When the administration announced that the event was a false alarm, teachers and students proceeded throughout the rest of the school day without a second thought. However, if this was an actual emergency, the confusion that we witnessed during this event could have cost lives.
Since we started school, many of us have been taught to evacuate immediately at the sound of an alarm by quietly forming a line and following the teacher to a designated evacuation area. This policy follows the guidelines outlined by the National Fire Protection Association. According to Principal Brent Kuykendall, this approach is no longer the protocol. Now, in response to a fire alarm, teachers and students are required to remain in their classrooms and await further instruction from the administration. In light of the many school shootings that have taken place across the country in recent years, this procedure works toward creating a safer environment. However, the fact that many staff members and students are unaware of these guidelines is a concern that must be addressed.
During the recent false alarm, many students and teachers were confused as to what to do. This demonstrates the lack of communication from the administration to the student body and staff members about proper protocol. The administration must inform everyone on campus of the guidelines so that we will be thoroughly prepared in the case of a real emergency. Without practicing these policies, an actual disaster would likely result in complete chaos.
Without clear instruction provided to both the staff and students by the administration, even scheduled practice drills throughout the school year are ineffective if the procedures are not accurately followed. On Oct. 11, we participated in a disaster drill during which we went through the full motions of what to do in the event of an earthquake or lockdown. However, many students did not take the drill seriously. They roamed around the football field, leaving the area designated for their class. Furthermore, after taking attendance at the field, some teachers allowed their students to leave their assigned yard line. If students and teachers do not acknowledge the importance of a full drill, they will certainly not view fire alarms as significant. In order to fully understand the measures we should take, we must actively practice the appropriate actions in accordance with the proper policy as well as hold ourselves accountable to recognizing that drills are not a joke.
It should not take an actual fire or other disaster to finally stress that we need to be fully aware of emergency procedures every day when we come to school. The administration must take action immediately to explicitly apprise each person on campus of how they should react to ensure their safety and the safety of others. If the administration fails to actively communicate with us, we will not be prepared, which could lead to lives lost that could have been saved by a simple, seriously-taken 30 minute practice drill.
