• Replies 4 replies
  • Subscribers 31 subscribers
  • Views 371 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Fire Alarms & Autism Shutdowns

Madelyn

I'm a 22 year old university student with autism, anxiety and suspected adhd living in onsite accommodation, every week on a Friday they test the fire alarms to make sure they work on schedule which I can deal with because I know to expect it and it's over so quick however once a term/half term (not entirely sure which) they do a full fire drill where we're expected to exit as if there was an actual fire. The first time this happened I was in the kitchen with my friend and aside from being a little overwhelmed I made it out, however the second time they did this was Tuesday this week and it went awful. I was in my room alone and it went off, while everyone else went outside I was trapped paralysed in autism shutdown on my bed so all I could do was curl up, cover my ears and wait for it to end. Student services were aware of the possibility of me not reacting appropriately to it so I have a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) in place however this didn't work. In the event of an alarm they are to come and find me in the house if I'm not outside with everyone else which we thought would be enough however this was a new experience for me so they came to my room and found me lying there but I wouldn't move. They asked if I was okay then told me it was a drill and they'd turn it off shortly which they did but throughout the whole experience and for an hour after I was trapped unable to move despite wanting to, so now we have to redo my PEEP form to try and make it work. It was a terrifying experience as I didn't know it was a practice at the time but I physically couldn't get myself to move and the idea that there could be a fire and I am trapped scares me more than ever before now. If anyone has any experience of similar things or what they think could help it would be really appreciated, I'm desperate and it could be a life or death scenario. They've said they can't tell me exactly when they will be as it will defeat the purpose but can tell me it will be on a Monday - Wednesday between 6pm - 9pm, I already have noise cancelling headphones next to my bed but I couldn't put them on because it was instantaneous shutdown however since I have ordered a second pair to put by the door so if someone comes in they can help me out. All staff members I've spoken to about it are unsure as to what to suggest and I don't know either because it's a new situation for us all but it needs a solution fast because of the emergency and danger factors.

  • The most useful practical thing to have done is to move you to a room near an exit, normal or emergency. It is an obvious advantage for you to have as short a route out of the building as possible, so that you and the people helping you have less distance to move and you have less time exposed to the noise. You should be treated the same as someone like a wheelchair user with a physical incapacity to get out.

    I was a fire marshall in a university research institute, with lots of fire hazards. We did have an explosion from an experiment that went wrong, £300,000 worth of damage but no serious injuries, thankfully. I had an area of the building to check, to make sure that everyone was out, so I was one of the last people out of the building. I was undiagnosed at the time, but being exposed to the piercing noise for a relatively long time was distressing, so I have sympathy for your situation.

  • Hi Madelyn.... first off, that sounds terrifying - being stuck in shutdown while alarms scream, no way out, and staff just standing there? I'm so sorry. You're not overreacting; shutdowns are real paralysis - body locks up, brain goes offline. And the fear of "what if real fire?" - that's valid.

    From what autistic people share (especially uni students in UK halls), people often fail when they rely on "someone comes to get you" - because if you're frozen, words don't work. Here's what actually helps others:

    Prep the body first - Keep those second headphones by the door but add a "buddy system": nominate 2-3 flatmates (quiet ones) who know: "If alarm, knock once - I'm in shutdown - help me with headphones and walk me out." They don't talk - just act. One girl said her mate literally took her arm and led her - no questions.

    Visual cue for staff - Update people to include: "If I'm not out in 2 mins, enter room quietly, put on headphones (left on bed), then guide me out - no talking, no touch unless I nod." Add a laminated card on your door: "Autism Shutdown – Headphones + Guide Only". 

    Desensitise slowly - Record the alarm sound (phone app), play it low-volume daily for 10 secs - build tolerance without full panic. Pair with deep pressure (weighted blanket on bed) so body learns "loud = safe".

    Real fire worry - Push for "silent drill" option (vibrate pager or text alert for you first) or "buddy evacuation" where someone carries/escorts you. UK unis must accommodate under Equality Act - cite "reasonable adjustments" for sensory disability.

    This isn't "defeating purpose - it's life-saving. You're 22, alone in halls - staff should be trained, not clueless. If they won't budge, escalate to disability officer or NAS helpline.

  • Hello, I experienced almost exactly the same thing, but I did not have a PEEP in place. I was ill for that week as well, I think the stress messed with my period and caused the pain to last a week longer than it should have. During that time they tried to arrange a PEEP meeting but I was too unwell and too freaked out about my health to schedule a meeting, so at some point that week they decided it was a breach of contract. They've been really awful about it too, constant emails, it's not been great for my mental health to put it mildly. I think I should really put in a formal complaint about discrimination because this is very much not okay.

  • Hi  , thank you for sharing with the online community. I’m sorry you had such a difficult time with the fire drill. I’ve found some information from a local Fire Service which may be useful, especially under the section ‘Explore graded exposure: https://www.esfrs.org/fire-safety-advice-for-autistic-children-and-adults.

    Best wishes,

    Anna Mod