Fire alarms in public places... do you head?

[sam_gordon]

I was flying last weekend and while sitting at the Atlanta Airport, the fire alarm went off (don't know if all terminals, just the one I was in, or just the section I was in). A few people (including me) looked around, but that was about it. After a minute or two, the alarm stopped.

So I thought I'd throw the question out here... if you're somewhere in public (a store, airport, restaurant, etc) and the fire alarm goes off, what do you do? Evacuate? Wait for someone to tell you? Make your way to an exit, but don't actually leave? See how long the alarm goes? Something else?

 

[BrianL]

I am attentive and immediatly take stock of the situation. Usually I will move toward an exit. If the alarm shus off right away, I would probably just go about my business, but if it persists I will exit. It's weird to me how at work people will just ignore it or act like they don't know what to do. Leave the building, folks.

In the case of an airport, I might hold tight if I can't see anything near me and wait for instructions from an official. Airports are pretty well-controlled environments.

 

[mistysue]

I was flying last weekend and while sitting at the Atlanta Airport, the fire alarm went off (don't know if all terminals, just the one I was in, or just the section I was in). A few people (including me) looked around, but that was about it. After a minute or two, the alarm stopped.

So I thought I'd throw the question out here... if you're somewhere in public (a store, airport, restaurant, etc) and the fire alarm goes off, what do you do? Evacuate? Wait for someone to tell you? Make your way to an exit, but don't actually leave? See how long the alarm goes? Something else?

I'm an immediate investigation type person. Looking around, I will pack up/prepare to leave, ask questions if I can't figure out what I am escaping from.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

Haven't really experienced it.
But thinking about it say I'm in Walmart and it goes off I'd probably wait a minute to see if they make an announcement that its a false alarm or tell us to evacuate.
If there is no announcement then I'll probably head towards the front of the store but not put my stuff down until I know whether I need to exit or not.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

I was in New York, in Manhattan, on 5th Avenue on September 11 2001 when the planes hit the towers.

So yes I do heed fire alarms in public places. I will immediately scan the area for a staff member or security person, and check their reaction. Usually its just a drill or false alarm and I can tell by their reaction whether to vacate the area or not. The sound of American fire truck sirens, together with fire alarms and the smell of smoke in the air is one of my PTSD triggers.

 

[focusondisney]

It all depends on where I am, but I usually wait for official instructions. Fire alarms can go off for other reasons. I worked in a hospital, we had regular fire drills. Patient care areas have firewalls, safe areas & specific protocols for evacuations, so I’d wait for instructions. During the drills, we did let patients & visitors know it was a drill. The fire alarms were also sensitive to other things, more than once an alarm went off from a patient using hairspray or such in the small bathrooms. I’ve been in hotels that had fire alarms go off. I’ve checked hallways & outside areas I could see to check if anyone else was evacuating, or called the front desk. Never had to actually evacuate or seen anyone else do so.

Within the last year, we did have to evacuate buildings at WDW twice. First time was at Space 220. We had just gotten our beverages & the fire alarm went off. The video stopped, lights came up & staff immediately began loudly directing everyone to the emergency exit. We were eventually able to go back inside & dine. The 2nd time we were in the Land Pavillion food court. Had just started to eat, fire alarm started. People around us weren’t really reacting, but after after a minute, a manager arrived & started yelling instructions & directing people to the emergency exits. The whole pavillion was evacuated, we ended up having to go thru backstage areas after exiting the emergency doors. That time I just packed our food up, took it with us & found somewhere in the new seating areas to eat.

In an airport, I’d wait for instructions. I can’t imagine evacuating on my own & having to navigate reentry etc.

 

[sam_gordon]

I was in my hotel room one time when the alarm went off. I gave it a minute or so to see if it would stop, since it didn't, I went out into the hall and a worker said it was a false alarm. So I went back into the room and waited for them to silence the alarm. It ended up going off 3-4 times over the next hour.

Years ago, DS & I were at a hotel for a soccer tournament and the alarm went off at like 2 in the morning. We ended up leaving (everyone else was) and waiting in the parking lot. I don't think the fire department even showed up. We were allowed back in the rooms after an hour or so (which sucked with an 8am game).

 

[Dan Murphy]

I am attentive and immediatly take stock of the situation. Usually I will move toward an exit. If the alarm shus off right away, I would probably just go about my business, but if it persists I will exit. It's weird to me how at work people will just ignore it or act like they don't know what to do. Leave the building, folks.

In the case of an airport, I might hold tight if I can't see anything near me and wait for instructions from an official. Airports are pretty well-controlled environments.

That would be my reaction also. I will always err on the side of safety.

 

[_19disnA]

In any large/public facility I have been at the few times a fire alarm sounded, they made announcements over the PA about what was going on/where to go/what to do. If not, I would approach someone who is an employee to get more information about what to do. When in doubt, I would exit on my own. The worst thing that could happen is you have to stand around outside until they give the 'all clear'. Some other people acted like they didn't hear the obviously loud alarm going off and/or the flashing lights............I guess some people are just oblivious to things going on around them. While it MIGHT be a test or malfunction of the alarm, you have no idea when it first happens if it is a real fire or not.

Can recall visiting a relative at a fairly new hospital when an alarm went off. I went out to the nurse's station to see what they suggested we do next. Places like that have clearly defined emergency protocols as someone mentioned above. As I recall, since it was a new facility that just recently opened, it was some sort of malfunction of the fire alarm system.

In some places I have been, they let the public know via the PA system BEFORE the alarm goes off when a test is about to be conducted. That makes the most sense to me to avoid panic/confusion among those who are there. If I was ever somewhere in public and saw flames/smoke, I would head for the nearest exit regardless of whether or not an alarm was going off.

 

[sam_gordon]

In any large/public facility I have been at the few times a fire alarm sounded, they made announcements over the PA about what was going on/where to go/what to do. If not, I would approach someone who is an employee to get more information about what to do. When in doubt, I would exit on my own. The worst thing that could happen is you have to stand around outside until they give the 'all clear'. Some other people acted like they didn't hear the obviously loud alarm going off and/or the flashing lights............I guess some people are just oblivious to things going on around them. While it MIGHT be a test or malfunction of the alarm, you have no idea when it first happens if it is a real fire or not.

Can recall visiting a relative at a fairly new hospital when an alarm went off. I went out to the nurse's station to see what they suggested we do next. Places like that have clearly defined emergency protocols as someone mentioned above. As I recall, since it was a new facility that just recently opened, it was some sort of malfunction of the fire alarm system.

In some places I have been, they let the public know via the PA system BEFORE the alarm goes off when a test is about to be conducted. That makes the most sense to me to avoid panic/confusion among those who are there. If I was ever somewhere in public and saw flames/smoke, I would head for the nearest exit regardless of whether or not an alarm was going off.

Yea, in the airport there was no announcement, no nothing. As others have said, exiting an airport isn't exactly easy. And I don't think I've ever seen smoke/flames where there shouldn't be. lol

 

[jo-jo]

If I was at the airport, I'd probably grab my carryons ( lot of meds in them) and be ready to move, but wait for announcements.

 

[kdonnel]

At the airport I would position myself near a gate and be ready to exit to the apron.

 

[sam_gordon]

At the airport I would position myself near a gate and be ready to exit to the apron.

What does that mean? Standing by an exit door? I was sitting in a gate area. Plenty of folks were walking the corridor between gates.

 

[_19disnA]

If you were in the gate area means you had either previously passed through TSA security or were waiting for a connecting flight. Certainly you could approach one of the TSA security people and ask if there is something wrong. They all have ways to communicate with their control center and airports are far more highly monitored then most other public places. You could also approach an airline employee at one of the gates to get more information on what (if anything) was wrong and how to proceed. All exit doors in airport terminals are designed to set off an alarm if you open them (prevents people from unauthorized tarmac access). If there was an actual fire/emergency, that would be one choice of how to quickly exit the terminal. That is certainly an option if there was an actual/immediate threat underway.

The other 'regular' way to 'exit' the terminal is to walk toward the TSA security area which is how arriving passengers typically exit to claim their luggage.

 

[kdonnel]

What does that mean? Standing by an exit door? I was sitting in a gate area. Plenty of folks were walking the corridor between gates.

Yes.

If I were at the airport and the fire alarm started going off I would get closer to an emergency exit. Those generally exit out onto the the airport apron next to each gate.

In a real emergency at the Atlanta airport, the people that want to die will return to the plane train and try to use the same entrance that got them to the airport.

Without visible smoke or fire I would restrain from immediately using an emergency exit. But if there were visible smoke or fire, the smell of smoke, or the alarm going off for 5 minutes without an announcement, I would hope I would be smart enough to exit from the closest emergency exit.

The past week there was a malfunction of the fire alarm at the school where my wife teaches. They had just had a fire drill earlier in the week. My wife gathered up her kids and exited the building. About a dozen of the teachers called the front office for confirmation. The admins ended up having a meeting with the staff where it was made clear that if the fire alarm goes off, get out of the building. No questions. Get out of the building.

 

[tvguy]

Yes.

If I were at the airport and the fire alarm started going off I would get closer to an emergency exit. Those generally exit out onto the the airport apron next to each gate.

Interesting. I will have to pay closer attention at airports. I "think" most airports have keypads or key card pads on all doors that exit onto the apron. Emergency exits all place people back in the unsecure area. Sacramento's newest terminal has all the gates in a secure building connected to the ticket counter/baggage claim building with a train linking the two buildings. They are spending millions now putting a pedestrian tunnel that allows people to walk between the two buildings, without people able to access the tarmac and apron.

 

[sam_gordon]

Interesting. I will have to pay closer attention at airports. I "think" most airports have keypads or key card pads on all doors that exit onto the apron. Emergency exits all place people back in the unsecure area. Sacramento's newest terminal has all the gates in a secure building connected to the ticket counter/baggage claim building with a train linking the two buildings. They are spending millions now putting a pedestrian tunnel that allows people to walk between the two buildings, without people able to access the tarmac and apron.

I know the doors to the gates are keypad locked. But there are other maintenance doors with crash bars. Pretty sure those alarm if not opened "properly".

Trains linking ticketing & gate areas are not unusual. Cincinnati is set up that way, as is Atlanta, and Denver.

 

[kdonnel]

Interesting. I will have to pay closer attention at airports. I "think" most airports have keypads or key card pads on all doors that exit onto the apron. Emergency exits all place people back in the unsecure area. Sacramento's newest terminal has all the gates in a secure building connected to the ticket counter/baggage claim building with a train linking the two buildings. They are spending millions now putting a pedestrian tunnel that allows people to walk between the two buildings, without people able to access the tarmac and apron.

You can walk at Atlanta.

But you’re underground potentially with a fire. Not a great place to be.

I’ll push the nearest emergency exit and get out of the building and exit onto the apron.

If the fire alarm is going off and you use the nearest emergency exit, you are not going to be in trouble even if that means you are standing out with the planes.

 

[tvguy]

You can walk at Atlanta.

But you’re underground potentially with a fire. Not a great place to be.

I’ll push the nearest emergency exit and get out of the building and exit onto the apron.

If the fire alarm is going off and you use the nearest emergency exit, you are not going to be in trouble even if that means you are standing out with the planes.

I would do the same if there was an emergency door to that area. Like I said, I will have to look more carefully because it seems airports aren't set up with emergency exits into restricted areas

 

[tvguy]

I know the doors to the gates are keypad locked. But there are other maintenance doors with crash bars. Pretty sure those alarm if not opened "properly".

Trains linking ticketing & gate areas are not unusual. Cincinnati is set up that way, as is Atlanta, and Denver.

Do those airports also have pedestrian routes too? Sacramento did not and now they are spending millions to add such routes.