Notes from a Rookie Firefighter...February 15, 2011

To all my loyal readers: I've decided not to take this blog to a different site. Only you guys truly understand my past, present, and future.

Today was my first experience hearing the fire alarm at work. The sound was brief, but loud enough for me to get up from my desk, grab my coat and pocketbook and head out of the maze of cubes into the main hallway. Only about three other people followed including one handicapped man. While we were walking one person asked what we should do, while another mentioned he didn't know who the fire warden was. I said we should take the stairs, go down to the lobby, and listen for instructions.
 
I was the only one to take the closest stairwell and it made me feel odd. I don't know but I think the others may have gone back to their desk. All of a sudden, I thought of my mother having to go down 18 flights of steps during the first bombing at the Wall Trade Center. I remembered her office friends helping her since she was in her own way handicapped. It made me wonder why I was the only one in the stairwell. I don't know why I thought of that scenario - maybe it was because of the handicapped man, fire alarm, and office building.
 
When I got to the first floor and looked around, I was the only one with my coat and pocketbook. I asked the closest person if he heard an announcement or read an email saying the sound was a test - he said no but he thought everything was fine.
 
Next, I went and got myself a cup of coffee in the nearby cafeteria, looked at all the people doing what they were doing ten minutes ago when the fire alarm sounded, and went back up to my cube and got back to work.

When did people stop listening to fire alarms?