maleficent

Seriously, I think I'm too old for this crap... Last time I remember fire drills was back in college and I swear it was done to see what females had illegal boys in their rooms after hours.

In the wee hours of Sunday morning, I was awoken by a god-awful beeping sound... now the wallls in my new building are pretty thick, so my first thought (not that I haven't done this before) was I left the kettle on to boil and now had a smoke situation. Crawled out of my nice warm bed... and walked into the kitchen, only to check the stove (cold and off) and the smoke detector (silent) but the beeping didn't stop... Nooosirree...

I found a robe, and opened the front door and was assaulted with flashing lights and noise... the people across the hall also had their door opened, and Iasked if we were expected to leave, silly me to ask the neighbors who don't speak english... I got no answer but watched other people on the floor leave. No one speaking to one another... (Love friendly new england)

Being a good lemming, I grabbed my shoes, my IPod (priorities you know) my jacket, and my keys (IPod over purse, what was I thinking?) and locked my door and headed out side with everyone else. by the time i got to the front walk, in the rain, I stood under the overhang with everyone else, no one talking to anyone else, and watched as the cute young firemen, in their oxygen tanks and helmets and stuff raced up to the building... (I tried not to giggle)

In my head it was about 10 minutes, but in reality it was probably about 1 minute I watched the firemen struggle with the front door as they tried to figure out what key it was that opened the security door. No one who lived in the building was moving and the firemen looked so lost, I volunteered my key to let them in... they appeared quite grateful too... (I'm such a good helper when there is young beefcake around

Five minutes later, blissful silence and we're allowed back in the building... no reason what happened but that's ok...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So... what's your fire drill story...

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Siege

Fire drills were so annoying back when I had them. Especially when they decided to have them when it was raining/snowing/crappy weather.

"No siege, you can't go get your umbrella"
"No siege, you can't get your jacket"
"Siege, I don't care if your locker is right beside the room we're in"

Fun for all.

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Sultana

Was this actually a drill, or a false alarm?

We have occasional fire drills at work, but never at an apt. complex!

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Redlemon

"...and this key opens my apartment door...what time to you get off?"

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BigBen

We have so many fire alarm tests and then drills that everyone where I work now ignores the alarm. No kidding.

When I first got there, I jumped out of my skin (I don't like fire and the possibility of being burned alive) and headed for the door. When noone moved, I looked like a fool. I soon learned that the noise and flashing lights don't mean anything. How pathetic is that?

Remember kids, the fire alarm does not necessarily mean FIRE, but it should always mean EVACUATE. Chemical spills, hazardous environments, crazy people with weapons are all reasons to pull the alarm. DO NOT WAIT to smell smoke or see flames.

How bad has our society declined? Bad enough that we have "Crazy people with weapons" cotingency plans.

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Coppertop

I work in a hospital that is currently undergoing construction. The fire alarms go off all the freakin' time. I happen to sit directly below one, too. No one pays them any mind. Ten times a day really jades you to the concept.

FngKestrel

Not to mention, deafens you to the concept.

hunnychile

When I worked at a hospital we were always having drills...one time it was a bomb scare, and it REALLY was a bomb scare. Glad that we all knew the codes and where to go.

2 days later I found out my boss (head of HR & a real horse's arse) was the person who received the call. Apparently she had fired the "wrong guy" according to his message on the phone, and he was getting even.

Yep, security caught him and he did have bomb making stuff in his car. Just another Day in the Life in California

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Redlemon

We had a bomb threat in the middle of a chorale concert on Yale's campus. We think that it was meant for a different hall, but there we were, in between movements of some mass, when our business director walks up the aisle, grabs the director by the elbow, and whispers in his ear. He turns to the audience, announces the bomb threat, and asks everyone to leave the building.

Concert picked up again about 40 minutes later, although we were a few members short, including the lead trumpet player. The backup played the exposed trumpet solo quite well, though.

I was also in a public meeting at the state Department of Environmental Protection on October 11, 2001 (so, exactly one month following the Twin Towers). The building was evacuated for a fake anthrax attack (it turned out to be coffee creamer powder in an envelope labled ANTHAX (sic)).

Glad nothing's been real, yet.

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snowy

Oi vey...

When I lived in the dorms the fire alarm had a habit of going off at really annoying hours. One time I had just gotten out of the shower (thank God!) when it went off. I pulled on some baggy overalls and a sweatshirt and headed out of the building. We ended up waiting in the parking lot for half an hour waiting for the all-clear because someone had burned rice in the downstairs kitchen.

Another time someone burnt macaroni and cheese at 2am. I ended up out in the parking lot in pajamas and bathrobe.

The funniest one, though, was when someone managed to set off the fire alarm after hitting the pull station with a football. Fortunately, that was shortly after dinner, and so we all just went to the dining hall and grabbed dessert.

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fresnelly

In University at the freshman residence, false alarms were constant. Eventually the administration sent out a memo that all of the alarm units were rigged with an invisible power that could be detected under a UV light. If you pulled the alarm, your hand would be covered in it, and once evacuated, all residents were subject to a UV scan to identify the culprit.

I was in the senior residence at the time and never found out if this was true or not, but they sure did make those kids suffer outside in the cold for a long time.

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canuckguy

not very funny when there is a real fire or emergency across town that the firemen couldn't get to and people die, instead of them being at your (not you in particular!) false alarm.

When i lived in residence in university the alarm was pulled multiple ties, same as you at freaking stupid times, 4am.......Was highly annoying. They kept telling us that if someone was caught doing it, that it would be a 5 grand fine.

Carno

I awoke to a fire alarm and a tornado hitting my apartment building this morning

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denim

Sounds like a "burnt dinner" alarm. They happen occasionally in apartment buildings. (shrug)

Rodney

Well, residential apartments don't have fire drills ever, certainly not in the middle of the night. Or if they do, I'm not living in them.

That said, could have been some jerk pulling an alarm, or smoke in a hallway or apartment setting off the alarms. Sometimes it can be something really trivial. One time a circuit board fried in our central heating unit, and that set off our smoke alarms -- even though there was no discernable smoke or vapor.

Pip

Oh, where to begin. The most infamous one I've been involved with was when we were performing a play, in the middle of the third act the fire alarm goes off, the iron curtain drops and the entire theatre (Audience+performers=450 people) evacuates to the square outside. After a few minutes the entire Katarina firesquad comes with blaring sirens... theatre fires are not funny. It turns out that a heat detector line had its insulation chafed off and when we used the smoke machine mist condensated on the exposed wires and set it off. For some reason there was a persistant rumor that lasted for several years that it was a turned on cell phone that set the alarm off. I don't know why. Honestly.
Another time, at our local Student Union house, a friend of mine had got the bright idea to set up a stove and fry meatballs in the basement. Of course this set off the smoke detector and the fire alarm of doom starts ringing out through the entire house. Our group evacuated like good citizens, but there was a bunch of students who remained in the house. Even though they were sitting under a ringing bell the size of a pizza plate they kept on studying! They said it was just a false alarm (like they would know!), so they didn't need to leave. I don't understand how they could sit there at all, the sound was terrible. Anyway, my brawny friend pretty much dragged them out and told them that it doesn't matter whether it's a false alarm or not, everyone must go OUT! My meatball-frying friend got fined roughly 1200$ for her thoughtlessness.

I have an unholy fear of fires, so I hardly ever ignore a fire alarm.

Ganggreen

I used to work security in a high rise apartment complex in Marin del Rey, CA (it's a part of L.A. to those of you who don't know Cali). Anyway, was working one night and the fire alarm goes off for one of the towers. I'm Shift Supervisor and I go and check it. Walk door to door smelling for smoke and feeling for heat. Big damn place too. probably atleast 80 -100 units. So I follow procedure and make the calls to higher ups, they send maintenance out to shut it off. Was wondering why fire company never showed up. My asshole of an ex-boss tells me the next day that they didn't show becasue the fire alarm doesn't really work. was a short causing buzzing to go off. High rise apartment and the fire alarm doesn't work. Loved that place---like a pack of hemmeroids...goddam morons.

fightnight

Was anyone watching the football game this weekend when in the 4th quarter the fire alarm started going off, and a computerized voice came on and told everyone to head for the exits? The fans all looked so confused, and they never actually announced that anything was OK, but they continued on playing. Was pretty interesting, I guess they decided that the NFL's decision to continue playing should have been enough info for the fans to realize they were fine and should stay. Sorry for the threadjack... just reminded me.

The_wall

Everyone used to love having fire drills in school because it would get you out of class for a bit. I remember having one in the middle of gym class when it was the middle of winter. So cold, so very cold.

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Redlemon

I didn't hear about that... what game was it?

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The_wall

I'm pretty sure it was the Eagles Chargers game

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Fremen

Heh, damn coincidental thread, mal.

They had a fire drill today while I was visiting my mom in the hospital.
I thought at first it was a damn noisy patient call light, but it was their monthly drill.
All they did was come shut her door.

Very weird feeling. I felt like, "Hello!" "Take us with you!".

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Grasshopper Green

When I was 5, me, my brother, and my sister were all home sick and in bed. My mom had made us french fries for lunch but forgot to turn the stove off. She ran out on an errand and left us home (not smart, but we all make mistakes). The oil started smoking and set off the alarm. My brother in sister, in their pajamas, grabbed as many toys as they could carry (priorities, you know), and ran outside in the snow, barefoot. Unfortunately, we had an automatic locking door and they were locked out. I was terrified and hid under the covers. Luckily there were some neighbors outside who heard the commotion and came over to help. One of the windows was unlocked and a man was able to get in and toss the now burning oil into the snow. Thank god for the smoke detector!

And another....we used to have alarm tests at my old work that were heinous. The noise from the alarm was so loud and high pitched that it would make my eyes water and I'd start crying. Definitely a very uncomfortable five minutes.

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Cynthetiq

Here in NYC we have them in the building at work about every 6 months.

They go through all the motions and explain just what to do when there is a need to evacuate the building.

I have had to walk down 32 flights of stairs one time during a REAL fire at 1633 Broadway. I didn't know there was a fire until my g/f called me right when the alarm went off as she had a tech who was 5 floors below me right above the fire and he was evacuated immediately.

once we got to about the 16th floor they told us we could stay in the building but by that time it was too late and I kept waking down.

During the blackout I had to walk down 22 flights of stairs...

nevertheless in densely populated spaces, the difference of life or death is a matter of just a few minutes. some people i know who left 9/11 when they thought it was best to leave survived, there were others that I know who stayed when the building people said they should stay put.

even in my apartment while we don't have any official fire drill, I know exactly what to do in the different scenarios and situations. Living and working in the sky has many different challenges, learning how to evacuate the building quickly without panicking is an important thing.

if you haven't done it yet... when you change your clocks for "Fall back" make sure that you also check the batteries in your smoke alarm.

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maleficent

And yet another fire alarm at 2:00am this morning... I'll give the fire department credit, they arrive pretty quickly, but it was pretty funny to see the firemen in full fire fighting stuff, with oxygen tanks and such.. .I guess they remembered the problem they had with the lock on Saturday because one of them had an axe in his hand.. ( I held the door for them-- glass woudl shatter...)

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Cynthetiq

damn... what was the reason for the alarm pull this morning?

and did you meet any sexy firemen???

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maleficent

I called the management office Monday looking for an explanation for Saturday's alarm, got no call back... Although this time, the firemen seemed fascinated by the circuit breaker box in the laundry area. It defintely wasn't burnt dinner because that would only set off the smoke detector in the apartment itself... and there's no smell of smoke anywhere..

Sexy firemen? they're plenty cute and young, but I'm still me and this was 2am with serious bedhead... they ran from me - I think they were l ooking forward to a blazing inferno to get away from me

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settie

Oh, I've got two stories. One was a bomb threat, the other a prankster's doing.
I'll start with the bomb threat.
2 years ago when I was a senior in high school, there was a bomb threat sent out to a school, but because there's more than one school within the district with the same name, both schools were evacuated around the time that this bomb was apparently going to go off.
Naturally, the school doesn't tell us the truth, they just say its a fire drill, to get onto the football field, blah blah. What made it bad was that I had the freakin flu at the time, it was my birthday that day, AND we had to wait outside for an hour in a foot of snow. Oh, I'll never forget that day.
The next story was something that happened last year. I think it was one of my midterm tests, and I remember that it was raining all that day. It was a biology midterm in the mid morning. I had gotten there a bit early to be sure to get a good seat in the gym. I was sitting near the adjacent doors to avoid any crowds, cramming, when the doors slam open and some guy wearing all sorts of layers (including on his face) starts screaming "EXAMS! EXAMS!" And tosses a stack of papers down the hallway. A TA runs out the door and grabs his hood as he heads for the exit stairs, but it rips off, and (buhahaah) he falls down the stairs. The TA just stands there for a minute, holding onto the hood, while every student in that hall pushes the exams away from them with their feet (There's NO way you'd want to get burned for stealing or reading exam papers 15 minutes before the exam, that's just stupid). Then the professor and some more TAs come out, pick up the papers, and we wait another 10 minutes for them to set up.
Ok, exam continues as planned. About one hour in the exam, the fire alarm goes off. So we go outside, in the freezing rain for 20 minutes, then go back in when the say it was just a prank. We get back into the exam, 30 minutes later, the alarm goes off again! So outside we go...again. Getting even more wet and even more cold than before. (grrr...) Still pranky mcprankster is having some fun messing up everyone's exam time. We get back in, 15-20 minutes later ANOTHER fire alarm! At that point, the professor just yells out through the megaphone "Exam's cancelled, just go home now"
Man was I ever mad. Most definitely the worst exam experience...ever.