What Happens If an Alarm Is Announced at School? Drills in Ikšķile Revealed a Weak Spot

Foto: BB.LV / дети How quickly can students leave the building in the event of a fire or other emergency? This week, educational institutions in Latvia are testing their action plans in practice. One such drill took place at Ikšķile Secondary School, where [TV3 News](https://tv3.lv/zinas/latvija/sabiedriba/cik-gatavas-arkartas-situacijam-ir-skolas-un-skoleni-latvija-norisinas-evakuacijas-macibas/) was present. On Wednesday at 9:45, a practice alarm sounded in the school. Students, under the guidance of teachers, headed to the exits and gathered at a designated area outside the building. The main task was to check how organized the evacuation process is, whether the children know the necessary routes, and if teachers can quickly ensure that no one is left inside. To monitor this, the school uses a color card system. Each classroom has lists of students, and the number of attendees is updated every lesson. After the evacuation, teachers cross-check the data and raise a card of the corresponding color. Green means all students are present. Red signals a problem — someone is missing, and it is necessary to find out where the absent person is. According to the principal of Ikšķile Secondary School, Vladimir Samohin, the drills confirmed that the school is capable of conducting an organized evacuation. "The strong point is that there is organization. We can go outside, we can do this in an organized manner, we can determine whether everyone has exited or if someone has remained," the principal stated. However, the inspection also revealed shortcomings. In some rooms, the alarm signal was too quiet or not heard at all. Additionally, it is necessary to check the operation of doors when the alert system is activated. "Inside the school, we need to check the alert system: where the signal was not heard, where it may have sounded too quietly, where doors closed, and where they did not," Samohin explained. At the same time, the students are already familiar with the evacuation rules. Teachers note that safety issues are discussed not only during special drills but also in regular lessons. Class teacher Sanda mentioned that the children studied the evacuation plan in advance, familiarized themselves with the diagrams near the classrooms, and walked around the building with the teacher to better memorize the exit routes. "We have already discussed this topic in social studies lessons, and together with the children, we walked around the school in practice, looked at how everything is arranged, and studied the diagram that hangs near our classroom," the teacher said. Class teacher of the 4A class, Helmut Eglitis, emphasized that all teachers, not just physical education teachers, should explain safety rules to the children. After analyzing the results, the school plans to address the identified shortcomings and conduct evacuation drills again during the current academic year. A follow-up check should show whether the audibility of the alarm signal and readiness for action in emergencies have improved. Meanwhile, Safety Week continues throughout Latvia until Sunday. Schools are encouraged to check not only the evacuation order but also communication methods with parents, as well as actions during power outages and other circumstances that disrupt the normal operation of the educational institution. The main goal of such checks is to identify weak spots in advance, while it is still a practice alarm and not a real threat.