FIRE ALARM AND LESSON LEARNED

The school fire alarm two weeks ago was caused by overcooked popcorn.  It was very chilly that day, and I didn't think to grab my coat as the coat-less students marched outside in front of me.  Thinking it was an errant drill, it wasn't until I realized no firetrucks were there that I figured out the alarm was the real deal.

Well, it happens again today.  I am in a meeting in the classroom next door to mine while my roomie teacher holds a math class in my room.  Suddenly, we hear, "DING-DING-DING-DING-DING There's an emergency in your building.  Please exit the building by the nearest door..."  (Yes, our alarm is Siri for alarm companies: No need for panic.  Chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiill ... and leave the building at your leisure...)

I immediately run to my room next door.  The teacher and kiddos, who've never had an alarm go off while using my room once a day/every other day, ask me which exit to use and, to their great credit (and mine, I suppose, for product placement at eye level by the doorway), check the evacuation chart on the wall.

Except, I am not rushing to help them evacuate; I am running for my coat and gloves this time.  Clearly no firetrucks are outside, so clearly this is no drill.  Of course, today's coat has been worn for fashion and not for emergency assistance to the masses.  As the coat goes on, so goes the hood, then on go the gloves. 

Much like the popcorn incident, we do need to leave the building.  The only problem is the school conjoined to ours is in the midst of dismissal.  Teenagers are driving amongst teenagers, and parents are in the carpool lane, blocking our access to the spot in which we are required to gather.

This is not a safe situation.

However, for the first time in days, possibly even a week or two, the temperature is hovering around 30 degrees and the sun is shining brightly.  After the subzero weather we've been tolerating (and will again for the weekend), 30 degrees feels like summer... NOT enough summer for me to give up my coat to any students. 

Seriously. 

Where will they be if I die of pneumonia?  I have to think of my own survival.  I'm Rose on the Titanic telling dead Jack I'll never let him go, then chiseling his iced fingers from my rescue door floatie. 

The root cause for the alarm turns out to be a burst pipe in the building connected to ours.  This is ironic because: #1 - the building is barely three years old, so what gives with burst pipes; and #2 - it's the absolute warmest, sunniest day we've had in weeks.

We know, though; oh, how WE KNOW.  Things can change in an instant.  Between the forecast for a foot of snow and burst pipe in the connector school, there is no school in my district for Thursday.  It's kind of great right now, but it's going to totally suck in June.  At least I'll remember to keep my coat handy, though.  Lesson learned. Twice, no less.