My peers and I have had no idea what to do whenever there was a situation resembling an emergency in the last few years. Whether it be for weather or a circumstance requiring either a soft or hard lock-down, so many people are clueless that it makes the situation even more dangerous. People do not take the fact that something potentially harmful is happening seriously, or start panicking and not listening.
In elementary and middle school, reviewing the safety protocols in our classes was done during the first week of school. Each teacher told their class what to do and where to go in any type of situation that could have happened.
Now, the first days of school are full of syllabuses and seating charts rather than protecting the people in the building from harm. Safety is not the center of attention and it should be. The priority should be ensuring that students know what to do in a dangerous situation. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line, that stopped being important.
Emergencies happen often enough for us to have protocols, so we should know them. People should not be panicked or confused in scary situations, when there are set courses of action created to protect us.
There is always going to be fear in the unknown but having a plan would ease some of it. However, when students are not aware of the plans until they are going through the situation, it leads to chaos and unrest.
It is understandable that teachers are busy and have a set schedule and curriculum that they have to follow but making time for the ‘what-ifs’ is worthwhile. Somewhere in the process of creating the schedule for the year, teachers should consider incorporating drills and discussions on what to do in emergency situations. Telling students the plan would make everything go smoother, as there would be less confusion and apprehension about what happens next.
Students should be informed like everyone else in the building is. When a potentially dangerous situation occurs, it affects everyone in the building, so everyone in the building should know what to do. Something as simple as being informed could help us all help each other.
