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.

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    • I agree with you to an extent, I do think that it can be quite a bit hectic while a fire alarm goes off. Who goes where and stuff like that. I think that single file is much more benefical than just everyone running out of the school.

  • I think it can be hard to organize a single file line in an emergency, but it helps for many different reasons. Firstly, teachers need to make sure they know where each of their students is. Having a plan could also minimize the panic students and staff endure. Panic only leads to more danger, and it is best if everyone knows what they are supposed to do exactly. I think in high school most teachers don't necessarily have students walk in a single-file line through the halls, but everyone is in a huddle near the teacher until they are out of the school doors.

    • I agree that it can be nearly impossible to keep everyone together, but it is necessary for teachers to know who is unaccounted for in their roster. If everyone were to run it would be chaotic and teachers wouldn't be able to know if certain students got out or not.

  • I think that a single file line is too slow in case of a big emerancy, if ever a fire in a school bulding everybody wants to get out in a hurry not have to wait for people to get in a single file line and risk their life just so they are in order.

  • I think that walking in single file line during a fire is very unnecessary. If there is a fire in the school people want to get out as soon as they can. Single file is a risk for everyones life and most likely to take more lives they just running and getting out of there. 

    • I understand that in a deadly situation that people want to get out as soon as possible, but I feel if someone is decently far away from the fire that should comply with the rules and line up. 

  • I don't think people should be walking in a single file line when there is enough room for eveyone to go out at once. I think that if you walk in a single file line during an emergency it will only take longer. I would change the way the school has it now so getting out in an emergency will go faster.

  • I think that we shouldn't have single-file walking during an emergency that we should not have it because it takes even more time just to get out and you will be walking slowly and you probably won't make it out fast enough. I would change it because what would happen if there was a fire in school and they wouldn't be able to go out unless they have to be in single-file line.

    • I see where you are coming from as far as it taking valuable seconds that students could use to exit the building. I aslo see how the line can be slow when exiting, however, if everyone stayed in order first responders would have a better understanding on who is all trapped in the building still.

  • I think that single-file walking in an emergency is not something we should do because let's be honest who in their right mind would slowly walk out of a burning building in a single-file line cause I know I wouldn't it's pointless to teach if no one will follow it.

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