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Fire alarms aren't there to indicate that there's a fire.
They're there to indicate that it's ok to stop what you are doing and begin acting as if there is a fire.
They're there to indicate that it's ok to stop what you are doing and begin acting as if there is a fire.
Without fire alarms, nobody wants to be the first one to point out they smell smoke, or embarrass themselves by yelling.
Without them, people will continue acting as normal even if the smoke is visible and choking.
Without them, people will continue acting as normal even if the smoke is visible and choking.
Fire alarms break that inertia, they give permission to violate social norms against panicking and disrupting tasks.
Same reason first responders say "you in the red shirt, call 911" instead of just telling the crowd.
Same reason first responders say "you in the red shirt, call 911" instead of just telling the crowd.
Overcoming that social inertia is tricky.
Smoke alarms are less sensitive than they used to be, and therefore safer.
They used to go off in the presence of cigarette smoke. The inevitable result was smokers removed the batteries.
Smoke alarms are less sensitive than they used to be, and therefore safer.
They used to go off in the presence of cigarette smoke. The inevitable result was smokers removed the batteries.
Nowadays your smoking won't set them off, so you're more likely to have them on.
Reducing their sensitivity saved tons of lives.
Reducing their sensitivity saved tons of lives.
That signal giving you permission to drop what you're doing, no matter how it'd seem otherwise, has to actually provide that signal. Otherwise you just ignore or disable it.
38% of americans have removed the batteries.
An equal number are still waiting to be given permission to act outside the norms, but there's nothing to give that signal.
An equal number are still waiting to be given permission to act outside the norms, but there's nothing to give that signal.
Almost half the country is trying to finish taking the test while the room fills with smoke. The idea of standing up, disrupting the test, saying "I smell smoke" is unthinkable.
What *would* give that signal? That "it's fine, drop what you're doing, no one will judge you for acting panicked" signal?
*Are* there any functioning alarms left? Any that haven't been smashed by a broomstick long ago so people can smoke in peace?
People talk about quarantine being surreal. Taking precautions, then seeing packed bars and restaurants.
Imagine being the only one in a burning building to step up from their desk and say "fire me if you want, but I'm leaving right the fuck now"
Imagine being the only one in a burning building to step up from their desk and say "fire me if you want, but I'm leaving right the fuck now"
Now imagine how much legal hell would rain down on a landlord who pressured his tenants to turn off their smoke alarms, or who never installed a fire alarm system.
Basically: that social fire alarm is infrastructure, it's something that functioning societies invest in.
America doesn't have it, and never invested in installing one.
America doesn't have it, and never invested in installing one.
