Fraser superintendent removes drill siren, plans two‑way radios for elementary classrooms

Superintendent Carrie Wozniak told the Fraser Board of Education on April 8 that the district will remove the audible siren used at the start of drills except during lockdowns and will buy two‑way radios for every elementary classroom.

Wozniak said the change to the siren followed feedback from staff and parents who reported the tone created anxiety: "Based on feedback from staff and parents, they removed the siren from the beginning of all drills except lockdown drills." She said two‑way radios will be assigned to principals, teachers in charge, head custodians, administrative assistants and members of the crisis team for use during drills, evacuations and recess. "Two radios will also always go outside at recess," she said.

The radios will be purchased with additional school safety funding the district recently received, Wozniak said, and are expected to be "purchased, programmed and in place in August." For non‑drill situations—behavior incidents or medical emergencies—staff will continue to use the district 4911 system that connects to office phones and identifies the calling classroom for a response.

Why it matters: The changes are intended to reduce confusion and panic during drills while improving staff-to-staff communications during safety events and routine outdoor supervision. Installation timing over the summer is intended to allow training and programming before the next school year.

The board did not take a separate vote on the siren removal during the meeting; the superintendent presented the operational change and funding source to the board as part of her report.