Many students have noticed that fire alarms have been constantly ringing at William Fremd High School over the past year and a half. In November, three fire alarms rang within two weeks. They seemed thrilling to some students as they got out of classes and enjoyed the fresh air. But at what point do these constant fire alarms disrupt students’ learning?
Sophomore Anushka Siram revealed how the constant fire alarms, although still surprising, get quite annoying.
“At first, I’m still startled, even if it happens many times for the first few seconds. However after a bit, it gets annoying because it keeps happening and is disrupting classes. But if it happens in a class, I don’t
like, I’m fine with it,” Anushka said.
Assistant Principal Michael Smith stated that the school is working hard to solve this issue and ensure that students and staff are safe.
“We’ve been working closely with the district to problem solve and avoid future fire alarms being engaged that could’ve been avoided,” Smith said.
Smith also explained how the school is doing everything possible to solve the issue, even meeting with the Palatine police department. Although there is no clear answer, Smith tells the school to respond to these fire alarms like how one usually would react to a real fire.
“We don’t want people to become numb to fire alarms being engaged. We never know, as a building, what the immediate cause is, and the last thing we want is for anyone to be injured. ”
The constant fire alarms interfere with the classes’ duration and divert students’ focus, making it difficult for students to focus on the content they are learning during class.
It’s also important to note that more than the fire alarms may instill fear in some students. During these sudden fire alarms, students may be unsupervised or in spaces other than a classroom, causing a sense of panic.
As a school community, students should know their peers’ emotions during uncertain times, such as when they hear fire alarms. Just because one person may think these alarms are an entertaining way to get out of class, others may get frustrated at the constant ringing or even experience fear because of them. The next time a fire alarm rings, consider its implications for students around you.
