Your grade is dropping and one of the only things that will save it right now is retaking this one test during student support. This is the last week retakes are available and you check your inbox for the weekly student support reminder email…and it’s not there. In its place is an announcement that you have to stay in your second period class for yet another useless, boring, stupid fire drill.
Over the years, it seems students have become increasingly desensitized to school fire drills. Since fire alarms get pulled so often, no one really understands the importance of planned drills. Teachers’ strict rules during these make most people regard it as an altogether unpleasant experience. These rules are constantly ignored or broken. Students talk and joke around, trying to catch up with friends in other classes, to the point where teachers either give up trying to control the students or they administer harsh punishments, turning students bitter. Fire drills are now viewed as a joke and not a life-threatening situation if an actual fire were to happen at school.
Too often I’ve heard or even made jokes about running away during a fire. I mean, it does seem kind of unrealistic, doesn’t it? Quietly shuffling into a single file line behind your Spanish teacher while a building burns to the ground. Waiting as your teacher takes attendance as smoke fills the sky. Wouldn’t it be so much easier and safer to just run home or to your car?
However, following your teacher is the best thing you could do in that situation. Student safety is their priority and teachers need to make sure that everyone is accounted for. As strict as it sounds, it is really for everyone’s own good.
Another complaint that’s often heard is having to leave personal belongings in the classroom during a fire. It is essential to get out of the classroom as quickly as you can, without having to scramble for your stuff. While it may be sad to leave your computer, pencils, backpack, and schoolwork, those are all replaceable, students’ lives are not.
If an actual emergency were to occur, not only would students need to follow all teacher instructions, but they would need to remain calm. You might hate your teacher or be freaking out during a fire, but I cannot express enough the importance of listening to them during an emergency.
It is terrible how everyone views fire drills as a huge joke because, really, they’re not. Students should stop regarding these as some monotonous procedure that we have no need for in our school but as an essential in case of a real emergency. One day you might be grateful that you followed the rules.
