Hello, everybody.  My name is Nicholas Armstrong.

 

I am petitioning for support for students who experience anxiety before, during, and after fire drills in all schools. From personal experience, I can attest that the anxiety triggered by fire drills and other emergency procedures is both real and impactful. While it may seem trivial to some, this anxiety poses a significant challenge for many individuals, including students and visitors in public buildings such as schools and colleges.  One such personal experience is when I was anxious about a fire drill but a staff member didn't, at first, let me cover my ears, and this made me very upset.

Unfortunately, fire drill anxiety is often met with a lack of understanding and support. This type of anxiety is extremely common. Although it may be manageable for some, it can lead to more severe issues, such as PTSD, especially if individuals are bullied or ridiculed for their feelings. The startling nature of fire drills often exacerbates this anxiety.
This issue affects not just a few individuals—approximately 40 million adults in the U.S. suffer from anxiety disorders, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), which represents about 19.1% of the population.  Some may argue that these measures are impractical.  However, they are very much practical.  Prioritizing mental health is not only the right thing to do but enhances overall effectiveness and safety of emergency procedures and drills by reducing panic and ensuring everybody can participate safely.

 

We also ask that there be harsher consequences for people who pull the fire alarm as a prank or who abuse the fire alarm system and malicious guise it as a fire drill, especially if they're doing so by coercing the institution to cover up the malicious activation as a drill.

 

We are advocating for all kinds of emotional support, including designated safe spaces during drills, access to counselors and psychologists before, during, and after drills, educational resources for students and staff about fire drill anxiety and other types of anxiety and their impact, clear protocol communications, and appropriate accomodations and flexibility in drill participation in students with severe fire drill anxiety.

 

The anxiety surrounding fire drills, triggered by loud noises, disruption, and confusion, is completely normal but often overlooked. Our request is simple yet vital: we urge lawmakers to pass legislation requiring all public buildings including educational institutions to provide proper emotional support for individuals experiencing anxiety before, during, and after emergency drills. Promoting mental health well-being must be an integral part of safety protocols.

 

Everyone has the right to a safe and supportive environment. We must prioritize the allocation of resources and trained personnel who can help mitigate the emotional distress experienced before, during, and after emergency drills. The current lack of support is unacceptable and must change.

 

Sign the petition today to demand that emotional well-being is considered in emergency drills and emergency procedures, due to the anxiety it causes before, during, and afterwards, which will foster a safer and more welcoming community for all. After signing, please share this petition with your local school board, elected officials, and on social media to raise awareness and build momentum for this important cause.