That Fire Alarm Is False, But Hey, Speaking Of Fires, You're Fired

from the people-skills dept

Fri, May 4th 2007 7:35pm — Carlo Longino

It's always a good Friday when you find out the company you work for is going under. But what can make those days really great is the caring and sensitive manner in which the company lets you know. For instance, in 2003, a British company told its 2,400 employees that the company was shutting and they wouldn't get paid any more via text message. Today, a department store in England gave its 140 employees the news that they're going to be out of a job in two weeks by pulling the fire alarm to clear the store of shoppers and to gather staff in one location -- the point where they're supposed to meet up in case of fire. The administrators brought in to try and salvage the store's broke owners say "the most efficient and practical method of informing their colleagues of this business development was by using the fire alarm", and they wanted staff to find out from them before word was made public. Efficient and practical, indeed -- not to mention completely crass and obnoxious. Perhaps we can take some solace in the fact that these nice folks didn't actually burn the place down instead.

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28 Comments

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Ron (profile), 4 May 2007 @ 7:47pm

Illegal
In the US, I think it is illegal to pull a fire alarm unless an emergency exists. Maybe the owners of the store will be arrested for falsly pulling the alarm. I presume the local fire department responded (unless they were informed there would be a test alarm at a certain time ... in which case the store personnel were actually the second to know). So, maybe the owners will also be charged for the cost of the fire department rolling on the call.
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- DittoBox, 4 May 2007 @ 9:42pm
  
  Re: Illegal
  I'm not sure about legality, it's likely a state law.
  
  However here in WA you get fined for it if the fire department comes out and lo-and-behold there's no fire.
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- Anonymous Coward, 5 May 2007 @ 5:23am
  
  Re: Illegal
  It's not illegal at all. You think buildings never check their fire alarms? All you have to do is notify the proper authorities before hand.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 5 May 2007 @ 9:52am
    
    Re: Re: Illegal
    but i think that someone from the fire department has to be present at the drill just in case, that was the case last summer when they had a drill at my office, but it could be different for every city/state
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- Hyrulio, 5 May 2007 @ 4:24pm
  
  Re: Illegal
  It's not illigal to do that - most fire alarm systems simply come with a 'test' function - you push a button and it sounds the alarm in the building, and nowhere else! That is most likely what they did!
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eskayp, 4 May 2007 @ 8:20pm

alarming situation
The owners are bankrupt alright -- socially and intellectually.
After ripping off a movie for the concept of a 'You'r fired' alarm,
I wonder if the owners foresaw the possibility of 140 fire alarm calls
to their private residences at 2 am in the near future.
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mike3, 4 May 2007 @ 8:58pm

this explains it....
I mean if this is the way they fire people think of how they run the business and manage there employees? I mean if you thought that SMS a your fired message to all your employees was a good idea I mean what other "great" ideas did these people have?
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The Swiss Cheese Monster, 4 May 2007 @ 9:45pm

Interesting. I might have to try that sometime
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Jim Beam, 5 May 2007 @ 2:15am

It's been done
In NYC under Guiliani, they faked a fire alarm to clear out a firehouse that they wanted to close down permanently. While the guys were out in the trucks, they locked it up
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- Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2007 @ 2:32pm
  
  Re: It's been done
  thats funny
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Steve, 5 May 2007 @ 5:18am

Jim,
Do you have a citation for that story about NYC?
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- Machavelli, 5 May 2007 @ 11:05am
  
  Re: Jim Beam
  It's been done by Jim Beam on May 5th, 2007 @ 2:15am
  
  In NYC under Guiliani, they faked a fire alarm to clear out a firehouse that they wanted to close down permanently. While the guys were out in the trucks, they locked it up
  
  ===============
  
  He will not post a citation for it because it didn't
  happen, he just has an axe to grind with guilani, and
  or is a Billary fan.
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  - ogman, 6 May 2007 @ 5:39am
    
    Re: Re: Jim Beam by Machavelli
    Wow, you had some cred there, right up to the distinctly unclever Billary thing. It's just possible that Jim has absolutely no ax to grind with Giuliani, while it's blatantly obvious that you have a problem with anyone named Clinton. Kind of hypocritical of you, eh?
    
    While the incident may just be an urban legend, it's also possible that what Jim said did happen and did not, for obvious reasons, receive a lot of publicity.
    
    Oh, and if you are going to use Machiavelli's name, at least learn how to spell it.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2007 @ 6:25am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Jim Beam by Machavelli
      Likely the firemen were union. Ever try to fire a useless union worker? Driving the US jobs out one lazy, overpaid, under performing, non-competitive person at a time.
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      - Liesl, 6 May 2007 @ 5:42pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Jim Beam by Machavelli
        Likely the firemen were union. Ever try to fire a useless union worker? Driving the US jobs out one lazy, overpaid, under performing, non-competitive person at a time.
        
        I'm sure that when you dial 911 and expect a fire truck to magically appear in your driveway with a hose to put out the fire. Do you know any lazy firefighters, except for that lard-assed Tenny Pierce, aka Snausage Breath, from the LAFD?
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Stephen, 5 May 2007 @ 6:18am

Closed for Business
A local restaraunt which had been open for 15+ years one day last summer posted a 8 1/2" x 11" printed sign on their door stating that they were closed for business. That was how they notified their employees as they arrived for work the following morning. They didnt intend to pay them either. :P
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- chet, 6 May 2007 @ 7:04pm
  
  Re: Closed for Business
  that is common in the restaurant biz. It has happened to me 3 times in a 20 year career.
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rEdEyEz, 5 May 2007 @ 11:46am

drills and testing are common, WFR - not
Most large facilities contract a third party service that monitors the fire/security system. Upon indication of an incident, for instance, our service supplied a 3 minute grace window in which you can call in, provide a password/code, and notify them of either; a false alarm has occurred or testing is in progress. If after the grace period, noone has called, the service relays the alarm to the local FD for response.
We were constantly in contact with the service, because of accidents (cracked sprinkler heads) or because our insurance company required flow testing/system integrity checks/monitoring...

In the event of a "no call," the fire department will respond, and will charge you for the incident. If false alarms becomes a frequent nuisance, they will fine you as well.

Standard practices and all, except for the Work Force Reductions... (then again, maybe not)
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Anonymous Jerk, 5 May 2007 @ 12:27pm

Lawsuit...
Just be glad nobody got hurt when they were leaving the store, otherwise, when the truth came out, they would have been a lawsuit, for sure.
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TG, 5 May 2007 @ 8:15pm

your fired!
excuse me...isnt the point of the matter how insensitive life can be when you get the axe-not fire codes?
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kb, 6 May 2007 @ 1:07am

this what i call cruel jokes
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Jeff, 6 May 2007 @ 10:10am

There was a rock radio station here that changed formats AND employees by having a big party for everyone one fine night and at the end of the night, everyone was told, "door prize time..."
"We're changing formats on Monday morning, you're being let go." Contract buyouts and such were delivered the following morning.
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GoblinJuice, 6 May 2007 @ 10:42am

rotflmao!
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IHMB, 6 May 2007 @ 7:37pm

got fired? talk to us
www.ihatemyboss.com.au

this is a website for the world to complain ANONYMOUSLY about their bosses and colleagues!! come and have an anonymous vent- it will make you feel so much better! or move to australia and find a cool casual job with us
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- Thel, 7 May 2007 @ 8:19am
  
  Re: got fired? talk to us
  this is a website for the world to complain ANONYMOUSLY about their bosses and colleagues!! come and have an anonymous vent- it will make you feel so much better! or move to australia and find a cool casual job with us
  
  Your paying for the moving correct? Please tell me so. :-(
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JustMatt, 7 May 2007 @ 9:29am

Are You Free, Mr. Granger?
Oblig. Are You Being Served ref.
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aly, 7 May 2007 @ 2:03pm

maybe the owner was expecting the place to be touched up . that way the fire crew are there in time. and migth even be able to claim insurance ...
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chris (profile), 8 May 2007 @ 9:36am

irony
the term "getting fired" comes from the medieval practice of setting fire to the homes of people who were no longer welcome in a community.
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