Fire Emergency sparks at Samo

No one was hurt in the incident, and the room was as good as new by the next morning. The main lesson learned is that there is prevalent school policy that prohibits the use of stoves in classrooms.Another lesson that can be learned from this is the fact that many teachers and students alike feel like they have been left in the dark about a very important piece of information regarding their safety. Many students do not have a sixth period or are participating in sports on the west side of campus during sixth. No one seems to know exactly where you are supposed to go and what you are supposed to do in case of a fire during lunch, passing period or any other time on campus not spent inside a classroom. While this is a topic of controversy in the administration, it has been decided that students are supposed to report to their second period (homeroom) class evacuation site. According to Dean of Students Catherine Baxter, a unilateral knowledge of this procedure is paramount.“It’s important to have one evacuation site,” Baxter said. “Homeroom teachers will know if a student was there in the morning and the administrators will be able to work on locating them as quickly as possible.”The usefulness of orderly evacuation is evidenced by yearly participation in the Great Shakeout drill which was recently held on Thursday, Oct. 20. Participation in this drill helps to instruct students in how to act in emergency situations, although they are mainly centered on earthquakes and students are always in the know on when it will occur.The school’s fire alarms are directly connected to the fire station, so that every time a fire alarm is pulled or triggered, the administrators don’t have to worry about making a ton of calls. All they have to do is focus on making sure everyone is safely evacuated and accounted for. It is crucial for students to be fully knowledgeable about the emergency procedure at Samo, and not take any of it with a grain of salt.Another problem that has arisen is the fact that the emergency plan on the website is solely earthquake-centered. The first direction on the emergency plan is to “stop, drop and hold.” While this will help you in an earthquake, it could actually put you in more danger during a fire.Though we do live in California, the odds of having a fire are somewhat greater than an earthquake, according to earthquaketrack.com. In case of a fire, exit your classroom as quickly and quietly as possible and follow all directions given to you. Report to your class’ designated evacuation site and await further instructions from your teachers. Safety is the school’s number one priority, and knowing what to do in case of an emergency will ensure your safety and the safety of everyone around you.Overall, whenever an emergency occurs, it serves as a reminder to Samo’s populace to be aware of how to act in the event of an actual emergency.