Was around mid day just now. Smoke alarm triggered.
Family with newborn and 1.5yrs old sleeping.
Happened to be Off work so I was sleeping too when it happened.
I woke up and walked out through the side door, guessing it was more a false alarm but still wanted to walk out and check around the building.
The top floor unit owner who’s also the secretary of owners Corp then came storming my front door. He then yelled and said you guys should try to mute the alarm at your door step (there is a smoke alarm in each unit, one for ever two unit behind one fire door, and one in the common area for each floor) and I think they are all linked. I said look I don’t even know what’s going on. I went outside to look around and no ones out there. And I checked around the building to see no smoke was visible from outside. And here you are storming my door. He repeated you should try to mute the alarm at your door step given there is no smoke. Then this is where I might be at fault due to ignorance but I said I really don’t know what’s going on. I went out to check. If there are certain steps that you expect me to do to the smoke alarm outside my unit at my door step (common for two properties) then you should at least communicate prior. He said don’t go black and white with me. I didn’t think quick enough to say I just didn’t know what to do except to mute my own units alarm and evacuate. Then he went on to explain we are in a small block so we need to help each other out and see how he was coming down (from his top floor) to each floor to see what was the cause. I explained to him I was taught to evacuate first, make sure it’s safe before entering the building which I did. He then accused me of being selfish. I told him that look it’s not about being selfish. At ground floor without knowing what’s happening, I don’t think I’m comfortable going up to do what he did ie go to each floor and find out which was the smoke alarm unit that was triggered and giving false alarm. The first response should be everyone evacuate first. He then said I’m a selfish person because this is not an office building and our response should be to help each other.
Now I’m not saying I’m right. I hereby acknowledge I have limited understanding of fire safety and what to do during firm alarm. Please enlighten me. I’m still of the view we should evacuate first and reassess. There should be no rush to find the false alarm in that instance.
Let me clarify. I was trying to control my temper throughout the conversation. He started smiling sarcastically when I said I shouldn’t be going up as first reaction. He then walked away saying I’m a selfish person. I did raise my voice to defend my view about fire safety but he just brushed off my view. He ended up yelling saying I’m a selfish person. I just wanted to equip myself with the knowledge of what’s right and wrong. If I’m wrong I will apologise to him and learn from this. If not. I’m gonna go to the top floor and start yelling back because as I’m typing this, just about one hour after the incident I’m still shaking in anger.
cool story