Turns out the fire was on the school’s playground.

Fire drills were always fun when I was a student.  It usually meant at least a few minutes out of class.  As a teacher, they were a bit more inconvenient.  Chances are it would happen right when you were saying something important, or a student was REALLY close to understanding something. If you are not familiar with an American fire drill,  let me briefly explain.

At sometime unknown to students (but usually the teachers knew)a bell would ring during classes.  We would all line up quietly at the door, and walk outside usually to a field.  Then we would stand in line for a few minutes watching everyone file out.  The goal was just to practice evacuating quickly and smoothly.  Then a few minutes later they would let us back in.

I have yet to see something similar at the school where I am teaching.   I’ve heard about practice drills from friends at other schools, but until today didn’t have first hand experience.  During second period every student filed out to the field in front of the school.  There was a fire truck and some local fire fighters.  They introduced themselves and explained what they would be doing.

I noticed a 5-foot tall pile of what looked like bamboo mats and newspaper in front of the students.  It couldn’t be that they were actually going to LIGHT A FIRE could it?!  My uncertainly was quickly put to rest as sure enough they lit the pile on fire!!  Only to immediately douse it with a fire extinguisher, mush to the delight of all students.

It wasn’t over.  They lit the fire again, and this time allowed the class presidents to wield the fire extinguishers!  Then some first graders had the chance to “play around” with the extinguishers.
They still weren’t finished.  The fire was lit a third time so students could experience a fire hose. First the firefighters demonstrated using the hose, and then allowed a few students to hold it.

Now the training session was finished, and everyone went back inside.  It left me a bit bewildered.  Such a thing would NEVER happen in America.  I am reasonably sure that a bunch of fire safety and good common (American) sense was violated today.  But at the same time, at least some kids got to practice using a fire extinguisher which is arguably an important skill to have.  Maybe if there is a real fire, those kids will know exactly what to do.

(Apologies again to Matthew, for stealing some thunder and using his “How Koreans Do It” category)