An unannounced fire drill took place on the morning of April 14, simulating the procedure that would occur in the case of a sudden fire within DLSU campus buildings. In various buildings on campus, students and teachers were asked by security guards to evacuate and gather at the Cory Aquino Democratic Space (CADS).
Knowing the drill
Director of the Security and Safety Office Dionisio Escarez explains that the fire drill is a procedure required from every institution. “This is a requirement from the Bureau of Fire Protection. Every year, we do this,” he states. “There is a representative from the Bureau of Fire Protection who comes to observe. [We are given] a certificate.”
Throughout the procedure, the security guards of DLSU guided and enforced order. Guards went from room to room, asking students and teachers to proceed to the ground floor through the fire exits. In line with the simulation, people were told that there was a fire breaking out in one of the floors of their respective buildings.
As soon as students and faculty members had gathered at the CADS, the guards urged students to maximize the space and to stay away from the simulated fire that was occurring on the top floor of Velasco building. Several guards and firemen also sprayed the building with a fire hose throughout the duration of the drill.
Escarez states that evacuation is the top priority during situations of fire. He also explains that during a fire evacuation, students must maintain order without being too casual when leaving their buildings.
He clarifies that during an actual fire, only the building on fire is evacuated. However, during the fire drill, all buildings were emptied.
He also gave a positive assessment of DLSU’s performance in the fire drill, briefly quipping that the students and teachers survived the fire.
Element of surprise – an inconvenience?
According to Escarez, faculty and administrators were not aware that a fire drill was going to happen.
While the element of surprise was necessary to accurately simulate a fire situation, it may have been an inconvenience for many teachers and students who had scheduled quizzes, discussions, and activities at that time.
Placido Menaje, a full time professor from the Accountancy Department, shares that he was conducting the last quiz before finals for his class when the fire drill occurred. Though his class was already halfway through the test, they were required to stop and evacuate. While he understands the fact that the drill must be unannounced, he feels that it should not have been scheduled on this day, since April 14 was the deadline for giving quizzes in his department.
Joseph (II, MKT) shares that his class was in the middle of a lecture when it happened. He adds, “I felt a bit annoyed because the flow of our lesson got cut. Also, I think most of the Lasallians participating in this drill weren’t prepared [because] the students weren’t that alert or aware, even though it was a drill.”
The drill lasted from around 10:00 to 10:30 am. Buildings within campus were closed off during that time. As soon as the drill was finished, students were asked to return to their classes.