Adventures with Abe

Liar, liar - pants ablaze.

So today is the day when they test the fire alarms. The building manager came in and warned me that the alarms would go of 2 - 3 times in the next half hour. ASPA, I told my boss who then sent a voice mail to everyone in the office, telling them not to evacuate/panic. She should have also mentioned that they shouldn't be babies about it.

The first time the alarm went off, about 5 minutes after the voice mail was left, I took a walk through the office, assuming that no one had gotten the voice mail. Only one guy got up to leave. I told him it was just a test, he went back to his cubicle, although he didn't look convinced. Why would I make something like that up? At least he almost believed me.

There was a training session going on, and I knew they hadn't gotten the message, so I waited outside the door for people to come rushing out in panic, or just calmly walking out, or to acknowledge the fact that there was an alarm sounding. Nothing. It was not until the third time the alarm went off that they all came rushing by my desk. I told them it was just a test, and they looked annoyed. I hope that they had assumed it all along and not just wanted to get through one more thing on the agenda before evacuating. I offered to bring in coffees, they weren't interested.

Three people left the building. Not from fear, from the lack of ability to suck it up. One, upon leaving, grumbled "this is absolutely ridiculous." Personally, I'd rather hear a loud buzz in 3 minute bursts once a month then be burnt to a crisp. But that's just me.

I do prefer the leaving to the people who sat at their desks trying to plug their ears while performing office tasks. In order to do anything, one must either plug one ear with your hand and the other by putting your ear on your shoulder, or you need to utilize your elbows as hands. It's amusing to watch, but oh so unproductive. You're probably better off going to Starbucks.

posted by LauraDorf @ 10:14 AM