Photo by Cory Hayes

Science teacher Mr. Robert Baur reads to students from the flip guide for responding to emergencies. Every teacher at Battle has a flip guide in their classroom.

  Battle High School’s first annual Drill Week occurred August 25 through 29, and it continues to stir conversation among students, with evolving safety procedures prompting both praise and criticism. 

One policy in particular, the 60-second fire alarm rule, has drawn attention from students. Originally introduced to prevent intruders from using alarms to lure students into hallways, the rule requires students to wait a full minute before evacuating during a fire drill. The practice became more common nationwide after the 2018 Parkland, FL, school shooting, where the perpetrator used a fire alarm to draw victims into hallways.

Drill week has been implemented into Battle High School, so students can go through the drills as soon as possible, as well as helping students feel prepared and safe no matter the time of the year. 

“It’s the first time we’ve done that many in a week. I figured the sooner our students review all the drills, the safer they can be in the long run because they know what to do,” activities and athletics assistant principal Samantha Symonds said.

Teachers are also expected to model preparedness and seriousness during the drills, no matter if the drill may interrupt class or cause other disturbances.

“I expect teachers to use their safety flipcharts and be as informational to our students as possible with evacuation routes and protocols. I expect both students and staff to take them seriously because we care so much about the safety of everyone in our building,” Symonds said. 

Students at Battle hold mixed views on the 60 second rule, as well as having so many drills in such a short amount of time. Some feel reassured by the frequent drills and updated procedures, believing it helps them stay vigilant and well prepared.  

“Drill week gives me a sense of safety because I know what I’d do in an emergency situation.” sophomore Christopher Mosso-Lopez said.

Others see improvement with the drills and how they’ve changed but believe there is still room for growth.  

“[Drills have] been more organized since I was a freshman. They’ve improved in receiving feedback and listening to students,” senior JJ Warnke said. “There’s still some things I’d like them to change.”  

Not all students agree the drills are effective, staying skeptical on how serious the school is taking the drills. 

“When I was in elementary school, the gym teacher would go around banging on the doors. Now all we do is talk about it. I want to be scared.” sophomore Rylie Ringes said. 

As Battle continues to adapt safety protocols and find what’s best for their students, drills remain both a reminder of national tragedies, an opportunity for students to reflect on how prepared they feel, and how safe they feel in their school.