English Story

Fire alarm

Every Friday we have a fire alarm test at nine o'clock sharp, and even though the sound is very noisy, I am so happy because when I heard that it reminded me today is Friday and tomorrow is weekend, it is the last working day of the week and I have two days off, it’s so excited!

Sometimes we have a fire drill, when you hear the fire alarm, everybody have to run out through the fire exit.

One Monday at nine o’clock, the alarm was sounded and I was working behind the fish house and didn’t hear it. The department manager and staff were looking for me thoroughly, finally they found me and asked me to stop my job and follow them went out.

"I am busy, No problem! You leave, I work." I said.

"No, this is the law, everybody has to leave." The manager said.

I understood that if I insisted not to leave, they must carry me out. I went out with them together finally, no choice.

One afternoon, when I was working outside, the fire alarm cropped up(突然出现) sounding wildly, nobody knew what’s happening, some were standing and looking around, some were asking questions, some were running, I knew this wasn’t a test or drill, must be a real one. At that moment, one lady called me from a distance:

"Jinglebell: leave your job, go out quickly."

I joined the crowded flow of customers and staff going out. I asked somebody what's happened? And they told me this is a real one as there was some smoke on the shop floor.

Finally I found out, actually there was no problem, that it was an electrician who used the equipment for the carpet and made a little smoke.

After that I asked somebody how to deal with the customer’s food in the restaurant in that case, because they went out to leave because of the fire, but hadn't finished their food. They told me that the customers who had bought food or drinks there could get a new one.

I don't understand, if in China, under that situation, everybody must carry a bucket(桶) or some other water containers to the fire spot, to fight the flames.

I agree with the English emphasis the human right, but maybe a very small problem could become a big problem while everybody had withdrawn from the shop, because the fire fighters could not come at once.

I was just thinking.