fire drill

fire drill

1. An organized evacuation of a building to prepare its occupants for the proper procedure in the event of an actual fire. Less than an hour after the school day began, the students were ushered out onto the lawn for a fire drill.
2. By extension, any event, activity, or situation that is useless, unproductive, or a complete waste of time. Usually used in business. The massive flop of the company's newest smartphone means that the huge amount of time and money they invested in it ultimately proved to be nothing but a fire drill.
3. Any unexpected, hurried, and particularly chaotic task, activity, event, or situation. Usually used in business. The boss dropped a fire drill in my lap at the last minute, saying I needed to write up a 15-page report for the board by the end of the hour.
See also: drill, fire
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • give (one) (the) clearance to have (something)
  • under the knife
  • get (the) clearance to have (something)
  • chapter out
  • PAX
  • work to
  • work to (something)
  • experiment with
  • experiment with (something)
  • in surgery
References in periodicals archive
"The deputy head teacher, who organised the fire drill, claimed that she didn't know such an important exam was talking place.
The mother of a 15-year-old student at the private special education facility had complained about the fire drill that she said should have been rescheduled for warmer weather and that her son and some other students were not wearing coats in the inclement weather, but teachers were.
Fire drills are very important because only through practice can we truly learn what to do and how to behave in an emergency.
Minister Kim Yong-chun repeated Pyongyang's charge on Thursdaythatthe South is preparing to start a war by conducting the live fire drills close to the border of the North.
Today, President and CEO of Croker Fire Drill Corporation, Ray Weinstein, continues to raise the bar of excellence, pushing beyond the basics of local, state and federal codes.
James Kemp, representing Mrs Robinson's family, asked Mrs Corner if she had ever participated in a fire drill.
My squadron was selected for a surprise fire drill. SOP for such operations is to prepare my aircraft inside the hangar for a quick move, if needed.
Before receiving a training assignment, they must complete a general orientation, because all volunteers are required to know and understand the policies and procedures of the Hebrew Home, including how to dress appropriately, how to keep residents safe, and what to do in response to a fire drill. They are trained to be polite, smile, and be helpful to residents.
KLIA also held a fire drill last month, and a simulated aircraft hijacking in 2001, reported The Associated Press.
We had just completed our fire drill for the session and sent campers back to their units and program areas and were making the notes on what was good and what needed to be changed.
Call it Rashoman In Reading: Depending on who's talking, Albright College officials either pulled a fire drill at the student center for the first time in two decades so they could sneak into the offices of the Albrightian to seize copies of the student paper to keep visiting parents of prospective students from seeing embarrassing Page One news -- or concerned school officials at the Pennsylvania college acted responsibly to investigate apparent glaring copyright violations.
* Strategy #2: Practice the fire drill. Create a crisis plan.
This year, as part of National Fire Prevention Week, a unified North American fire drill, The Great Escape, will be held on October 7 at 6 p.m.
During a fire drill, we practice getting out of the school building quickly and safely.
engaged in some sort of corporate Chinese fire drill.