Is Single File Walking in a School Emergency Beneficial?

[2 Ethan]

Schools are required by state law to have annual drills in emergency situations. On March 4, 1908, the Lake View school in Collinwood, Ohio caught ablaze due to a furnace overheating. The teachers and staff remained calm and let the students talk among themselves as they exited. This was the worst school fire in history taking 172 students, 2 teachers, and 1 rescuer. Ever since then schools and other public buildings have been finding safer and easier ways to exit the building. Now schools teach their students that walking in a single file line and staying quiet is the best way out of the situation. Is this the best way though?

In case of a fire students are supposed to be quiet and listen to the teacher’s instructions. Line up at the door in a single file manner. Quietly walk outside the building until reaching a safe area. As well as in a tornado situation. It is taught to walk quietly to the designated area in the school.

I think that lining up in a single file line in a fire/tornado situation is a good way to get out of the school in a fire or get to a safe place. I think this because it allows the teachers and school staff to get everyone out safe. I also think that staying quiet really helps get everyone out of the situation much quicker than not. At first I thought that lining up was just a waste of valuable time but now it makes sense to me.

What do you think about walking in a single file line during an emergency?

Would you change the way the school has it now?

https://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/collinwood-disaster-fire-safety 

https://www.wikihow.com/React-to-a-Fire-Alarm-at-School-(Kids) 

https://emergency.vt.edu/ready/guides/building-fire/building-fireduring.html#:~:text=Never%20take%20an%20elevator%20when,and%20report%20where%20you%20are.

[2 Ethan]

I agree that staying together with your class would be the most beneficial way to get out of the building in case of emergency. It allows students to not get mixed up and helps let first responders know how many people are still in the building.

[3Sabre]

I think it would be nice if we could, but fight or flight would kick in, and then all of a sudden the "line isn't working" it's a nice thought, but it would never work in the proper situation, everyone just huddling out seems to work. Doing a single file might put more kids in danger because the lines are so long. I'm not sure, its a great thing to try, but I don't think it would work in that situation. 

[2 Kennedy]

I think that walking in a single file line is beneficial because it help people stay in order to exit the building neatly. if everyone was all over the place it would take longer to get out of the building. I wouldn't change the way the schools have it now

[5Gabe]

I think walking in a sing file line when there is a fire or another emergency is a good and bad. A good thing is no one is rasing to get out. A bad part about it is kids dont want to get couat in a fire. I wouldnt change the way the school has it now.

[5Maria]

I think that walking in a single file line is the most organized way to walk during an emergency situation. It helps to make sure everyone is safe and helps to get students out of the buikding easier. I would not change the way the school has it right now because I think it works good. 

[2 Ethan]

I agree that walking with your class in a single file line is the most beneficial way to get out of an emergency situation. I agree that it helps make sure everyone gets out safely and accounted for.

[3Jaylee]

I think single file line is a good way to do it if there is an emergency because then not everyone is crammed and everyone is pushing so then you can get in or out the door faster and easier. i think people would freak out more because they are in single file line and it might be scarier that way for people

[5Lauren]

I think that walking single file is much better than just letting people walk around freely.l It is much easier to track students and make sure all of them get out safe. I would not change the way the school has it now because I think it is a very organized way to handle an emergency.

[5Maria]

I agree with you. I think that walking in single file is much more organized and helps teachers and stuff to make sure everything is right and everybody gets safe out of the building. I agree that the school should not change it and keep it how it is.