On the morning of Tuesday,
Sept. 13, a fire alarm went off
in the Bucks library. Students
evacuated amid confusion,
some wondering whether their
computers were making the
obtrusive sound, and others
wondered whether this was an
intentional drill, a fluke or a
real emergency.
Many students were unsure
whether to drop everything and
evacuate, or to gather up their
belongings before leaving.
Regardless, the evacuation
took place quickly and
smoothly, according to the
head of Security, Dennis
McCauley.
“When they hear the alarms
and see the lights, it’s pretty
clear that it’s time to evacuate,”
said McCauley, noting that students
have been going through
fire drills for as long as they
have been in school, and that
the procedure should be familiar.
Security and fire personnel
patrolled the building to monitor
the evacuation. Students,
though perhaps confused,
responded in a timely and
orderly manner. A bookstore
employee said she herself was
not sure what the sound was, as
it was the first time she had
experienced a fire drill in the
building.
Fire alarms may be confusing
to new Bucks students, but
the practice evacuation familiarizes
students with the alarm
and the procedure for making a
quick and safe exit. It is a necessary
annoyance, and students
generally comply- even when
they would rather be surfing
the Internet in the library.
The fire drill in the Library
was one of a series of fire drills
taking place on campus that
day. No forewarning was
given.