Hana Le

Repeated malfunctioning of fire alarms has sparked concern regarding its impact on the learning environment as well as the school’s infrastructural pressures.

In recent weeks, students have found themselves in a bizarre situation: fire alarms going off at random times throughout the day–repeatedly. These unexpected blares have turned classrooms into chaos zones, leaving students and teachers alike scratching their heads and sometimes even jumping out of their seats. The frequency of these disruptions has sparked conversations about their impact on the learning environment. 

It was noted that while the alarms may be disruptive, they do not seem to cause widespread anxiety among students. Many find some comfort in knowing that the alarms are functioning as intended, even if their timing leaves much to be desired. 

“I think we have a good system in place where students know when the fire alarm goes off that they continue to remain in place,” Assistant Principal Bradley Walker said. “Other than just being annoying and the brief disruption, I haven’t heard anything personally about how it negatively affects students. If anything, I think it is probably more comforting to know that, if there were a fire, that the alarms are working. Unfortunately, they’ve just been triggered by things that have been out of our control. Still, I think that that procedure and the times that we have practiced [fire drills] prepares students and staff for if there is an actual fire.”

Despite this reassurance, the constant interruptions have made it challenging for teachers to keep their students focused. The unexpected alarms disrupt the flow of lessons and creates an atmosphere of uncertainty. 

“When the fire alarms go off it’s kind of hard for everyone to concentrate during and after,” Art teacher Ms. Madeline Picket said. “We also have some people with sensory issues and so it makes it very hard for them to focus or feel comfortable in this type of space. It’s also random and there’s also that concern for safety and worry about what’s going on, and it’s quite hard to go about business as usual. When we’re talking about safety and if someone’s maybe trying to do something with malicious intent, we don’t know until the announcements come on, [and] it is pretty worrying as a teacher.”

Students too have voiced their frustrations about the frequent disruptions, especially during fast-paced lessons in advanced courses. The disruptions not only derail their focus but also raise concerns about their safety at school.

“I think it’s kind of annoying because it’s interrupting our classes, especially since I’m in my AP classes during the times the alarm goes off,” Clemence de Cormis ‘25 said. “It’s hard to continue at the original pace of the class. Also, I’m worried because imagine if it were a real emergency and the alarm malfunctions like it does now, what could happen to our safety?”