Shouldn't Fire Alarms Actually MEAN Something.

[DawnCt1]

Now before this gets blown out of proportion, I am not upset, outraged or even mildly annoyed. But this is another "curious" question. Its raining here..again. I went to Holyoke Mall which is a three level, long, large, crowded mall. I was in the lower level when the fire alarm activated. Lights were flashing and the noises was quite loud. Shoppers and workers continued to go about their business like there was nothing unusual. Since I have never been in a mall when the fire alarms activated, I decided that I had seen everything that I wanted to see on the lower level and took the stairs up to the main level, although people were still using the elevator. The alarm continued to sound, with all the bells and whistles for a full 15 minutes. I happened to ask a clerk why it was 'business as usual' and what exactly does a fire alarm mean at Holyoke Mall? She said that sometimes the alarm trips and security goes to the location and determines if it is an actual emergency and if it is an actual emergency, then someone comes on the PA and tells everyone to evacuate the mall. If that is the procedure, why not have a silent alarm at a manned security location, have someone investigate and then sound the general alarm along with voice directions? I used to work in a high rise in Hartford. When the alarm went off, regardless of the reason, ALL employees had to evacuate no matter what. Shouldn't that be the procedure for any building?

 

[Mickeyistheman]

At our local mall here in North Jersey, they have a brand new HUGE movie theatre. It's very nice beautiful actually but for some odd reason. The fire alarm tends to "GET PULLED" by kids or some malfunction. I have been to that theatre about 4 times and every single time its pulled mid movie. You could not beleive the amount of people that sit there and won't get up. The movie shuts off anyway. Even though each time I knew it probably was a false alarm you should still leave the building.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I think you answered your own question. Why didn't you evacuate? Why ask a clerk and then hang around 15 minutes? People tend to think it's a false alarm unless they see commotion, so they go about their business, just like you did. Sad, because that's how people die, but it happens every day.

 

[dancingdisneygirl]

I used to work at that mall for years and it ALWAYS goes off at random times. I do think it needs to be updated, but I had to laugh when I read this because I think almost everytime I'm there it has gone off. If there was ever really a fire we'd be screwed becasue it's such an everyday thing.

 

[shortbun]

yeah, when the alarm gets tripped, I'm headed for the exit. I just imagine my friend's Dad (a firefighter) sayin' "If I EVER catch any of you exhibiting unsafe behavior during, around or near a fire, I'm going to beat your ..."

 

[C.Ann]

I would have left the building immediately - no questions asked..

 

[DisneyGirl421]

I know!

I'm a summer intern park ranger at Ellis Island, and today, a fire alarm went off and we had to evacuate. It turned out to be a false alarm, but we still evacuated since we didn't know that at the time. My job was to stay at the info desk to make sure everyone gets out. The amount of people who stopped at the desk (going in the opposite way of the door where there is a mass exodus of people) to ask me when the next tour starts was crazy. I'm like, hello? Do you see everyone leaving? Why did you come in the opposite direction of the door where there is clearly police and park rangers guiding everyone outdoors just to ask me a question? It made no sense.

 

[akhenaten]

At our local mall here in North Jersey, they have a brand new HUGE movie theatre. It's very nice beautiful actually but for some odd reason. The fire alarm tends to "GET PULLED" by kids or some malfunction. I have been to that theatre about 4 times and every single time its pulled mid movie. You could not beleive the amount of people that sit there and won't get up. The movie shuts off anyway. Even though each time I knew it probably was a false alarm you should still leave the building.

That stinks...I know it has happened to my DD at that theatre also...

I was at the GSPlaza before the theatre was put in and when the alarm went off I saw the same thing Dawn did...folks just shopping as usual. I did not leave the Mall , but I stayed in the main area until the alarm stopped...better safe than sorry...

 

[torinsmom]

That happened to me at the Great Wolf Lodge in WIlliamsburg. The alarm went off and people went about their business. We headed to the front, but were told that someone was working on the alarm, so to ignore it. It went off about 15 times while we were there and we headed to the front every time. I didn't want to take a chance that it was the real thing.

Marsha

 

[DawnCt1]

I think you answered your own question. Why didn't you evacuate? Why ask a clerk and then hang around 15 minutes? People tend to think it's a false alarm unless they see commotion, so they go about their business, just like you did. Sad, because that's how people die, but it happens every day.

I left the lower level and shopped on the main level near an exit. I then asked a clerk if this was "usual". Apparently it is "typical". After I wrote this, I said, "what the heck, I think I will find out for myself". I picked up the phone and called the Holyoke Fire Dept, general line. I was transferred to the chief of fire prevention. There are apparently separate rules for malls. They have the automatic siren with strobes and alarms that is activated. It can be due to humidity, construction, burnt food, etc. OR it can be a fire. When the alarm goes off, the Holyoke Fire Dept responds, investigates the problem that was investigated by security and has to reset the alarms. In the event of a REAL fire there is a voice evacuation command that activates. So my question to him was, "doesn't this create a system of the boy who cries wolf"? He said absolutely but the system is old and that is what they have to deal with. The mall, according to him, would have to deal with loss prevention issues if it was evacuated everytime the alarm sounded.
This mall's alarms go off 100 times per year! That means 100 false alarms to the Holyoke Mall, at no expense to the mall, but the city of Holyoke! I think you should get only so many false alarms before it is on your dime! Maybe then they would update the system to something that makes sense. He was a very nice man and explained the frustration of alarms going off in elderly high rises where the people only do NOT evacuate but they sometimes won't open the door to the fire dept. We had a nice chat, so now I know the answer to my question.

 

[DawnCt1]

I used to work at that mall for years and it ALWAYS goes off at random times. I do think it needs to be updated, but I had to laugh when I read this because I think almost everytime I'm there it has gone off. If there was ever really a fire we'd be screwed becasue it's such an everyday thing.

And the Fire Dept of Holyoke confirms everything you said!

 

[JVL1018]

At our local mall here in North Jersey, they have a brand new HUGE movie theatre. It's very nice beautiful actually but for some odd reason. The fire alarm tends to "GET PULLED" by kids or some malfunction. I have been to that theatre about 4 times and every single time its pulled mid movie. You could not beleive the amount of people that sit there and won't get up. The movie shuts off anyway. Even though each time I knew it probably was a false alarm you should still leave the building.

Garden State Plaza?
Coincidentally, I just got back from the movies there a few minutes ago(by the way i refuse to go to any other theater now, I love that one so much) and when we walked in, the alarms were going off elsewhere in the mall-we ignored it and went and got our tickets...and my husband is a firefighter.

There is a rule about too many false alarms in my town-they can get fined here. Commercial properties only, not residential.

 

[KellyMae]

Was in Vegas when the Monte Carlo caught fire in January 2008. I remember wondering what type of person sits in a hotel room, listening to the fire alarms go off and not evacuate until they actually see pieces of burning debris go falling by their window. They figured if it was a real fire hotel staff would knock on their door to let them known personally. What!!! That's the reason the fire alarm is there to let you know there is a fire. Boggles my mind.

About 6 months later I was in a hotel sound asleep at about midnight when the fire alarm went off. I had no idea what it was. Was looking for the alarm clock and how to turn it off, ended up ripping it out of the wall and the alarm is still sounding. It took a few minutes for my sleep addled brain to realize it was the fire alarm. Was peeking out the door to see other guests looking out their doors. No sign of smoke or anything that I could see or smell. I was quickly trying to get dressed (au natural sleeper) and calling my sister who is also staying in the same hotel, trying to ascertain what the situation was like on her floor. Her husband had bounded down the 7 flights of stairs to find out from the front desk that it's a false alarm. What a relief.

 

[bumbershoot]

Yes, alarms should mean something.

Was in Vegas when the Monte Carlo caught fire in January 2008. I remember wondering what type of person sits in a hotel room, listening to the fire alarms go off and not evacuate until they actually see pieces of burning debris go falling by their window. They figured if it was a real fire hotel staff would knock on their door to let them known personally. What!!! That's the reason the fire alarm is there to let you know there is a fire. Boggles my mind.

You reminded me of something!

The same night that happened, I was staying at an offsite hotel at DLR, on a solo trip. I was exhausted by my day, and around midnight took a nice shower to ease my muscles. Well, it turns out that the fan in the bathroom didn't work well (and the shower flooded because their CLOTH shower curtains let the water through), and as soon as I opened the bathroom door, the steam hit the smoke detector and it went off.

NO ONE CAME!

Now, for a few moments I was glad, because I needed to get decent (and of course I knew it wasn't a fire). But still, no one came, no one called.

I had to open the motel door, at midnight when I was alone, to try to air out the room. And was trying to sop up the water that had come out of the shower and into the vanity area of the bedroom.

Finally when nothing was working, and I couldn't reach high enough, even standing on the bed, to turn off the alarm, I called the front desk.

They said "oh yeah, I was wondering about that...we're all a litlte nervous because of what happened in Vegas earlier tonight..." I hadn't known about the MC until then, but if they were extra nervous, shouldn't they have sent someone????

I finally got the room clear enough that the alarm stopped. Then either they called or I called back, and ALL they cared about was whether I was smoking in the room. I had told them what started the alarm, and they could have just come up the stairs to see the steam...

Sigh.

And none of the other motel patrons came out, either. Strange.