Fire Alarm Continues to Malfunction

Many East students are commenting Tuesday morning about how routine post-fire drill evacuations have become. For at least the second time this year a faulty smoke sensor is being blamed for the reason students and teachers had to evacuate the building.

Following a scheduled third period fire drill, the fire alarm sounded unexpectedly during both fourth and fifth period. Members of the Suffolk County Police Department and St. James Fire Department responded to both unscheduled fire alarm activations.

Around 10:15 a.m. the 'all clear' allowing students and staff to reenter the building. By 10:20 a.m. the alarm was sounding once again.

At 10:40 a.m. the third 'all-clear' was given and students and staff were allowed to reenter the building. Minutes later Mr. Thompson addressed the campus across the PA system, where he explained a fire smoke sensor had caused the alarm activations. With officials working to fix a faulty alarm system, Thompson has announced the building should only be evacuated upon direction over the PA system.

The second half of fourth period and the first half of fifth period classes were missed due to the evacuation.