- It is not unusual for schools to have incoming students report to school a
day before the entire student body reports. They are given an orientation
to the school, learn its layout and the location of offices, and meet their
teachers. If their day ends with a rapid dismissal fire drill, they are
learning the proper behavior and exits for a fire drill and eliminating
one required drill. - Most schools have shortened days for one reason or another. In New
York City, students have half days during the scheduled fall and spring
parent-teacher conference afternoons. There are no after-school activities
on shortened days, so having rapid dismissal fire drills is appropriate. - In many school districts, a leftover from the Cold War is the shelter drill.
During the Cold War years, such drills naively had students scrunch
under their desks, hands over their heads, to protect themselves from a
nuclear attack. In most communities, this has been redefined as a drill
on procedures for protecting students during a terrorist attack or natural
disaster, such as a flood, nor’easter, hurricane, or tornado. Students are to
be brought to a secure place with minimal windows and doors. In many
schools this secure place is the auditorium. Every school has a full-school
assembly a few times during the school year. This process of bringing all
students to the auditorium, the secure place, is a shelter drill. - Many students are in schools before classes begin. They are there for
reduced or free breakfast, early morning club meetings, tutoring, and
so on. As a fire could take place anytime, it is legitimate to have a fire
drill before the school day even begins. To the consternation of staff
and students, a principal once scheduled such a fire drill for 7:30 in the
morning (classes began at 8:15). It was found that over one-fourth of
the student body was already in the building. - Likewise many students are in the school after the regular school day.
A fire drill could be scheduled then as well. - Students get excited before a holiday recess. On the last school day be-
fore the Thanksgiving, winter, or spring recess, teachers try to channel
this excitement through creative, often holiday-themed lessons. Ending
such a day with a rapid dismissal fire drill meets the needs of students
and staff anxious to begin their holiday. - In New York City, one drill was required during a lunch period. As
noted previously, a fire could occur at any time. It is best to have such
a drill begin during the last five minutes of the last scheduled lunch
92 Chapter 7