Not to get into a basketball scenario but that's incorrect.

Under NFHS baksetball rules:

Artificial nosiemakers are always illegal (with the exception of cheerleaders using non-amplified megaphones).

Bands can only play during timeouts and between periods.

Well the band has artificial noisemakers too but we do not get rid of the band now do we? ;) That was the point I was making. Also most football officials might not understand what live ball and dead ball periods are in basketball rules and it was not the point of the response. Also depending on your state they might define what items those are specifically and how they are to be used and never used (in basketball). In football the band was outlawed to do a lot of things long before there was any consideration of the NF Rules in any sport that I am aware of. Also cheerleaders cannot use (non-amplified) megaphones in my state by interpretation and we never see them (at least I have not in years).

Peace

He probably thought it was a fire alarm or some other emergency signal. Couldn't you have "found" an IW? Doesn't letting that play stand offend anyone's sense of spectator vs. participant?

Which is why my post says "Under NFHS Rules." Nobody can address all the screwy things different states come up with.

You are right, but people may need to review their state rules or policies and interpretations so they know what to do. The rulebook can always say one thing, but the things you do in your state is another thing. This is a situation that clearly has some local application because the punishments might be different from one place to another.

Peace