Two students at a college in North Carolina were recently fined $150 each for sleeping through a fire alarm. They were found when resident directors and firefighters re-entered the building to search for students.
At least one AU student was faced with a similar situation. She had to go before the judicial board after sleeping through the beginning of a fire alarm and then exiting the building late. JAMS threw out the case, but during the hearing, JAMS board members expressed surprise at how someone could sleep through a fire alarm.
There were 11 fire alarms on South side last semester. Let's face it: Students become desensitized to the noise, and either start to sleep through the alarms or simply decide not to evacuate the building. This semester, however, thanks to a number of better enforcement techniques, there have been far fewer alarms. These days, students should realize that if the alarm goes off, there's a good chance that it is actually an emergency and not just a prankster pulling the alarm on a dare.
Catching someone who was awake and stayed in bed during a fire alarm anyway is one thing, but imposing penalties on students who accidentally miss fire alarms at first and then leave the building late are not constructive. Students should not have to weigh which is worse - evacuating late and receiving a fine, or staying in and hoping someone's burnt food isn't actually on fire down the hall.
Administrators should consider a policy on fire alarms like the one currently in place with alcohol transports. It's more important that students are safe, even if they are technically violating the rules.
Such a policy will only work, though, if students recognize that the one time they stay in for a fire alarm could be the one time they get hurt - or worse.
