“My school has never experienced a real fire, but we practise drills for it. There are alarms, clear steps, and order. That structure helps us feel safe. But when it comes to floods – which we face again and again – we’re left unprepared. Floods happen at my school so often that they no longer feel like emergencies. We lift our bags, walk to the hall, and wait. There’s no guidance, no explanation – just quiet confusion. It worries me how something so serious has become so normal.
Schools should do more than just move us from one place to another. They should teach us how to respond with awareness, protect one another, and recognise danger even when it looks familiar. Real preparation means more than reacting – it means planning, explaining, and involving students in safety. Because when danger is treated like routine, the risk becomes invisible – and that’s when it’s most harmful.” – Isabel Lim, 14, Johor
