Picture this: You’re sitting in class taking a quiz, when you hear the announcement: “The fire alarm is on test. If the alarm should sound, there is no need to evacuate the building.” Instead of going back to your quiz, you begin to think about what they could possibly be testing now.
Even though the administration knows the real reason behind the Fire Alarms always being on test, many of the staff and students remain uninformed, but they do have some theories.
“I believe the school is too broke to get a new system, so they keep testing it to fix a very old system,” Senior Keira Kruchowy said.
Similarly, Freshman Adam Novello said, “I think the maintenance people are testing every single alarm individually throughout the entire building. That’s why it’s always on test.”
Mr. Eric Puma, an English teacher, offered a different take. “Although it can interrupt the class flow, it often offers my students a much-needed break from hearing me speak,” Puma said. “I can only assume it is absolutely necessary, and if it keeps everyone in the building safer, then I’m all for it,” he said.
“At this point it doesn’t bother me too much,” said Mrs. Elizabeth Watts, a Math teacher at HHS. “I usually just have to stop talking for a couple of seconds, but that’s it. I feel that it happens so much that I don’t really notice it anymore.”
The real reason why the system is always on test is because HHS was built in stages, with the original section being built in the 1960s, the addition of the 100s and 200s coming in the 1980s, the 500-600s coming in the late 1990s, and the 700s and 800s coming at the turn of the century. When the additions were being built, all of the different fire systems had to communicate with each other and to one main system.
“The system all together is very elaborate. The system includes fire sprinklers, smoke detectors, heat detectors, alarms, lights, and the new integration with the display,” Dr. Steven Jablonski, the Vice Principal in charge of Facilities and Security, said.
With a building that is so old and constantly being improved upon, the safety of the staff and students is of the utmost importance. “Safety is our top Priority and we are legally obligated to fix all issues, even the smallest ones,” Jablonski said.
With the combination of new and old technology, the system must be frequently tested so the administration can be sure that separate systems from different areas communicate with one another. Ensuring that all of the fire alarms and the additional systems are working and that the building is following the fire code are just two key steps to keeping the staff and students safe, even if the tests seem repetitive.
So the next time you hear this message, you can feel secure knowing that these tests and the announcements that follow are necessary for your safety, not just a nuisance.
