Do Fire Drills Really Work During a Fire ?

Most people have experienced a fire drill at some point in their life. Fire drills are most often performed in schools and workplaces, though children daycare centers or other public places may have planned drills as well. Fire exit security during a fire drill may be defined as a planned drill that requires a swift and efficient execution of fire evacuation protocol for the assigned building.

Though fire drills are planned, usually the proper faculty and staff of a school or the management of a business are the only people who are aware of the planned fire drill. During the fire drill, teachers or other people in positions of authority direct the students or employees to ensure a safe and orderly exit. Fire drills are often timed so that the evacuation process can be evaluated and changed if necessary.

A school fire drill often looks something like this: the alarm goes off without warning, and the teachers in each classroom calmly direct their students to stand and form a line. They then exit the room, go into the hall, and calmly proceed to the nearest fire exit. They will exit the building, and, staying in an organized line, make their way to a designated space a safe distance away from the building. The teacher will then do a headcount to ensure each and every student is present. Though most fire drills are scheduled, an "accident" fire drill can occur. Sometimes a child will unknowingly pull the alarm, or maybe someone will trigger the alarm so they can simply get out of class. Though these drills give teachers and faculty members a run for their money, they can still be helpful, even though they can appear to be quite a nuisance.

An occurrence that is similar to a fire drill is something called a rapid dismissal, which often occurs in schools. A rapid dismissal often looks like this: once the fire alarm goes off without warning, the students are told to calmly collect the belongings that they would normally take home with them after school, and then calmly exit the building at the nearest fire exit. They then rendezvous at a designated spot with the rest of their classmates, and role call is taken. After each student is accounted for, the students are then dismissed to go home instead of returning back to class. Some schools choose to do this instead of a drill because it satisfies the law requirements because they are still able to gather the correct timing information.

Though fire drills may seem like a hassle to a teacher, student, or employee, it ensures the safety of literally hundreds of people. Most states have specific fire safety and fire safety equipment requirements that must be met once or twice each year. All teachers, students, and employees must be aware of what to do in the case of a fire emergency, and the only way to ensure that everyone is informed is to simply practice with a fire drill. Be encouraged each time you are a part of a fire drill; it means that someone is consciously taking action in keeping you safe. Fire drills really do save lives each and every year.