shewhomust | Thoroughly alarmed (Reply)

This morning's swim was disrupted by the testing of the fire alarm. At first I thought the persistent moise was the whistle which sounds while the floor / cover of the small pool is being lowered - but as it persisted and I became more focused on it, I realised it was a bell. The attendants didn't seem too bothered, though, so I guessed it wasn't an actual fire. It stopped, and then started again. And again. Perhaps burglars were trying to break into the pool? A few more blasts, loud enough to be painful, and I was thoroughly jittery, trying to cover my ears until it stopped, hanging round the shallow end wondering whether I dared set off again.

I don't know how many times that bell rang; it must have been in double figures. It seems that we should have known that the fire alarm was simply being tested, because this had been announced on the tannoy, but I hadn't heard that (which may be my fault, as I had asked for the music to be turned off in the pool, which apparently switches out the tannoy. Also, or so I'm told, these tests are carried out every week or so, I've simply been lucky not to catch one before - and no, there is no chance of finding out when it will happen and avoiding swimming then, it just depends on when the staff are free.

Though grumblesome, I am better off than