Fire drill

A fire drill is a method of practicing how a building would be evacuated in the event of a fire or other emergency. Usually, the building's existing fire alarm system is activated and the building is evacuated as if the emergency had occurred. Generally, the time it takes to evacuate is measured to ensure that it occurs within a reasonable length of time, and problems with the emergency system or evacuation procedures are identified to be remedied.

The purpose of fire drills in schools is so that everyone in the building is aware of how to exit the building in the quickest, easiest and safest way possible if a fire, smoke, carbon monoxide or other emergency did occur and will help staff and students familiarise with the sound of the fire alarm. Fire drills were put in place after many severe fires in schools happened.

One fire that had a major impact on the foundation of the school was a fire at the private Catholic school Our Lady of the Angels in 1958, in Chicago, Illinois. Children on the second floor were trapped there, with neither the teachers nor their students knowing how to get out of the building safely. Many children tried jumping out the window and many burned in the fire. The main cause of death was of being trapped in the building without an exit. Although the school had passed a fire inspection two months prior, having the correct amount of fire exits and fire extinguishers for that time, it lacked smoke detectors or adequate fire alarms and was overcrowded.

In order to make schools safer, education was needed on what to do during the fire. Monthly fire drills were put in place after the Our Lady of the Angels fire. It was found in a later study that education on fire also helped to prevent it. As time moved on, people started to learn more about what started fires, and what to do in the case of one happening. People were now on the lookout for fires, and now knew how to prevent them from igniting. Within a year of the fire, many of the hazardous conditions found in Our Lady of the Angels were then fixed in thousands of schools around the United States.

After the fire at Our Lady of the Angel, state regulations required that there had to be fire alarm street boxes no more than one hundred feet from the front of the building. The General Assembly of Illinois also passed life safety codes in response to the fire at Our Lady of the Angel. Things such as more control over waste disposal, proper storage of combustible supplies, more frequent fire drills and inspections were put in place. Other reforms from the fire include the city of Chicago modifying the Municipal Building Code of Chicago, affecting fire safety of schools as well as other buildings with two or more stories. To prevent fires and deaths caused by fires, schools must have an evacuation plan in place, and make sure that all the proper fire alarms and warnings work. Teachers must take charge of the situation and be a leader. Teachers should also consider the amount of students that they have. They need enough space and time to get all of the students out quickly, and safely. Teachers should also be the ones that are looking out for causes of fires, in order to try and stop it from happening.

...
Wikipedia