25/08/2026
๐จ IMPORTANCE OF DISTINCT EMERGENCY ALARMS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Different emergencies require different actions. Schools should use distinct alarms and clear announcements for evacuation and lockdown/active threat situations.
๐ฅ Fire/Evacuation Alarm โ Evacuate and proceed to the designated safe area.
๐ก๏ธ Lockdown/Active Threat Signal โ Follow the schoolโs protective action procedures and directions.
Regular, age-appropriate drills help learners and staff recognize the correct response and avoid confusion during emergencies.
โWhen I hear this signal, I know what I am expected to do.โ
๐ For awareness and preparedness. Please share.
๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ง๐ฆ
It is important for schools to establish clear, distinct, and easily recognizable alarms or announcements for different types of emergencies, ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐.
This distinction is important for all school personnel, learners, and even parents as they can become conditioned to associate a particular alarm with a specific action. For example, when they hear the regular fire alarm, they are trained to immediately leave the classroom and proceed to the designated evacuation area. The alarm may be associated with a fire or earthquake drill. However, an active threat/attack/shooter situation requires a different protective response. Depending on the circumstances, the appropriate action may be to Run, Hide, or Fight rather than automatically evacuate.
Using the same alarm for both situations may create confusion and cause learners to instinctively leave the classroom even when remaining in a secure location may be the safer response.
๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
๐จ๐ฅ๐โโ๏ธ๐๐๐ง๐/๐๐ซ๐๐๐ช๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ผ๐ก๐๐ง๐ข โ Signals learners and staff to evacuate according to the school's evacuation procedure.
๐ข๐ก๏ธโ ๏ธ๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฌ๐ฃ/๐ผ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐ค๐ง ๐ผ๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ โ Signals learners and staff to immediately follow the school's lockdown and protective action procedures, which may include Run, Hide or Fight, depending on the situation and available directions.
The distinction should be reinforced through regular, age-appropriate training and practice. All learners, staff, and relevant personnel should understand that different emergency signals can require different actions.
It is also recommended that the school use a distinct audible signal together with a clear verbal announcement, whenever possible. This can reduce ambiguity and help ensure that the intended protective action is understood by learners of different ages, abilities, and levels of familiarity with the school.
The objective is not to frighten learners. Rather, it is to reduce hesitation, prevent conflicting responses, and provide a clear cue for the appropriate protective action.
A simple principle should guide the emergency communication system: Different emergencies may require different actions. Therefore, different emergency signals should communicate different expected responses.
The ultimate goal is for every learner and staff member to understand: โWhen I hear this signal, I know what I am expected to do.โ
