Seneca Hall had five fire drills on March 6 between 9 p.m. and 12 a.m. In one night, the number of drills we have had this semester doubled.

The alarm in Seneca, for anyone who has never experienced it, has been described as “purge-like.” An ear-piercing alarm is followed by a menacing voice saying, “Attention. An emergency has been reported. Please walk to the nearest stairway exit.” 

The deafening noise of the alarm coupled with flashing lights and the slamming of the automatic doors is enough to make anyone nervous and jumpy, even if it is one drill.

As someone with anxiety, the fire alarm has always made my heart race and left me feeling on edge even after I left the building. 

Having five fire drills each about 20 minutes apart was extremely overwhelming and I only suffer from very mild anxiety. The fear that I would calm down and then be startled back into a panic left me unable to be comfortable far after the last drill. 

I was also hanging out with my boyfriend at the time and he was able to help calm me down after each alarm sent me into a minor hysteria.

I cannot imagine what it would be like for anyone who struggles with severe anxiety and had to go through this alone.

Still, Seneca Hall residents have not received an explanation about why there were so many drills. There was a rumor that the alarm was broken and maintenance had to be called to come fix it. If this is true, why not send everyone an email explaining the situation and apologizing for the inconvenience?

Another concern having this many drills in one night raises is residents seeing fire drills as “boy who cried wolf” scenarios.

The first drill caused most of the building to evacuate, just as we practiced earlier in the semester. By the third and fourth, less than a half of the building had come outside, and the fifth saw less than a third. 

What happens if there is more than one drill in one night again, except the second or third is an actual fire? Students will see it as another meaningless waste of their time and not leave their dorms. 

Five fire drills in one day, let alone within three hours, is insane and can take a major toll on the residents. 

Campus is already very restricted, with little for students to do to relieve their anxieties and improve their mental health. Add a spine-chilling fire alarm that goes off repeatedly with no explanation as to why, SUNY Oswego basically wants on-campus residents to go home. 

At the very least, Seneca Hall residents should be told why we were put through Hell, whether it was a malfunction or people being careless. And if the college wants people to stay on-campus, they should take more responsibility for residents’ mental health.

Photo from Flickr