• Fire alarms and drills can be a very stressful and even painful experience for residents with ASD. They may experience overwhelming sensory overload as a result of the combination of the flashing lights and loud, unpleasant noise of the fire alarms.

• Fire drills can also upset residents with autism due to their unexpected nature, as many residents with autism tend to need structure and feel distressed with changes in routine.

• If you have a resident with both sensory sensitivity and need for routine, the fire alarm going off may spark an outburst or breakdown. 

(Wolf, Brown, & Bork, 2009)