The Skokie Fire Department responded to alarms which disrupted classes at Niles West on Aug. 16, Aug. 20 and Sept. 16. The alarms were not drills. In all three cases, students vaping in the bathrooms triggered the alarms, as confirmed by the Fire Prevention Captain, Thomas Doran, of the Skokie Fire Department.

The Skokie Fire Department made school officials aware of the vaping incidents behind the fire alarms.

According to Assistant Principal of Operations Steve Parnther, “If a student is caught vaping there is a process for us to provide them with the education. Of course, we could just give out consequences, but sometimes that doesn’t always work. There’s an investigation that’s conducted and based on that investigation that determines what our next steps are.”

However, the causes for the fire alarms have not been officially communicated to the student body.

“Honestly I don’t know what’s happening… It’s obviously not planned so I’m just confused with the school and they’re not saying anything,” senior Macy Tran said.

Educating the student body about the consequences of vaping is one way school officials are responding.

“One thing that we’re trying to focus on is the educational piece [of vaping]. I think it’s important for students to understand some of the harmful effects of vaping,” Parnther said.