Our world post Auroa/Newtown

[KiKi Mouse]

By not evacuating you could have put the lives of your family members at risk.
You are also putting the lives of firefighters at risk if they have to come in and get you.

A fire alarm means evacuate.

It does not mean call the front desk. It does not mean sitting in your room paranoid of active shooters etc. It means get out. Period.

 

[Arielle22]

I would have been as soon as I could throw on my shoes along with my family.

Decades ago in MA was a nightclub fire (Coconut Grove) and my grandfather was an ambulance driver. He didn't talk about it much but when he did, what he said was chilling, bodies jammed in doors and IDs being made by clothing and the personal belongings. It actually bothered him more than fighting in the war. Something about it being so random and happening in normal life.

So I feel better safe than sorry if an alarm goes off.

 

[ChrizJen]

I don't know if I was in a room on the fourth floor with a balcony I probably would have done what exactly what you did especially if I did not see fire, smell smoke, or see others leaving.

I agree. OP, I don't blame you and your DH one bit for reacting the way you did. Yes, it seems slightly paranoid, and several years ago maybe this response may have seemed odd. But I would have reacted exactly the way you and your DH did.
(Now, if there was any evidence of an actual fire, I would have moved my family to safety without hesitation.)

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I would have been as soon as I could throw on my shoes along with my family.

Decades ago in MA was a nightclub fire (Coconut Grove) and my grandfather was an ambulance driver. He didn't talk about it much but when he did, what he said was chilling, bodies jammed in doors and IDs being made by clothing and the personal belongings. It actually bothered him more than fighting in the war. Something about it being so random and happening in normal life.

So I feel better safe than sorry if an alarm goes off.

I remember learning about the Coconut Grove fire in one of my history classes. It is the reason that buildings built after a certain time are required to have doors that open out instead of in.


Next time you hear a fire alarm, please get out.

 

[JVL1018]

Fire can be in the walls, unseen, it could be in a different area, not yet to you. You have no clue how fast fire can spread. It's never something to take lightly.
Also, as someone said, a person who refuses to evacuate, in the event of an actual fire, forces a fire fighter to put themselves in (more)danger to come after you.
As the wife and sister of firefighters, I'd really prefer that people just got out.