On Oct. 1, 19-year-old Indiana University freshman Renee Ohrn died as a result of smoke inhalation in an apartment complex near her campus.

Clearly, fires are no laughing matter.

A fire drill in Thurston Hall on Sept. 30 first was a passing thought until I learned of Ohrn’s death later. And while the drill was just a run-through, it is a somewhat troubling demonstration of what might occur in the case of a real fire.

This display is a true sign the University needs to better educate its students on how to respond to building fires.

When the alarm rang, chaos ensued in the freshman residence hall.

As students streamed out, a sizeable mob of students seeking shelter from the rain quickly gathered beneath the overhang of Thurston’s front entrance, blocking those still in the lobby.

The scene in the stairwells was even more concerning. Students stood joking around at the bottom of the last flight of stairs, creating a blockage that extended several levels upward.

Seventy-four fatal fires have been recorded nationally in residence halls, Greek housing and off-campus housing since January of 2000, according to the Center for Campus Fire Safety. A total of 106 lives have been lost.

So why are students not taking evacuation drills seriously?

Fire drills are an inconvenience, indeed. They interrupt evenings of studying or napping. But just because the event is a run-through does not mean it should be taken so lightly, or students might regret it in the chance that a disaster actually occurs.

University Spokeswoman Michelle Sherrard said residents are “provided guidance about the direction they should travel” during evacuation.

However, this was not the case Friday night.

I heard no instructions as to what exit routes students should follow, likely because there were not many University staffers on scene.

Firefighters report that the blaze that took the life of Renee Ohrn consumed a dozen apartments within the first eight minutes.

On Sept. 30, it took nearly twice as long for some students to clear Thurston Hall. Although Sherrard said exit times vary by residence hall, Friday’s response was clearly far too slow.

The National Fire Protection Association encourages administrators to provide prompt feedback regarding any improper actions observed over the course of an evacuation.

At no point after students were allowed to reenter the building did house proctors, police officers or any other University officials review the fire drill with residents. In fact, not once over the course of the semester have I received any presentation regarding emergency evacuation procedures.

Even Matthew Galewski, president of the Residence Hall Association, believes the University is partially to blame, saying that University communication of emergency protocol could be better.

To improve future response times, house proctors should be required to meet with residents more often to review what should be done in the case of a fire or another large-scale emergency. And when evacuations are deemed too slow or disorderly, participants should be advised of the specific actions they need to change.

Drills are conducted for a reason. But fire response preparedness goes beyond knowing what to do when the alarm sounds; students should receive information from the University beforehand about what exactly is expected of them.

It’s a matter of student safety.

­Trent Hagan is a freshman majoring in political science.