Daniel Moreira
Managing editor
The fire alarm rang twice during the first day of the fall semester in the Commons Building (COM).
The alarm first rang at around 11:30 a.m. Students and staff who had classes or were eating had to be outside during the rain for about 20 minutes. The second time was around 3:30 p.m.; however, students and staff did not wait more than five minutes to come back inside.
The alarm only went off in the COM building, where the cafeteria, student lounge and welcome desk are located.
Terri Kurtz, administrative assistant, works as part of the Alarm Staff. According to Kurtz, police only told her that it was a problem with the sensor.
Cindy Seers, campus police dispatcher, said that the alarm had a malfunction.
“It was just a malfunction in the elevator’s fire alarm,” said Seers. “[The alarm] has been shut down.”
Though it wasn’t a real fire, students did not know what was going on. Felly Kamhanda, student, said she was not prepared for any fire alarm procedures.
Kamhanda said, “I had no idea what I was doing, all I could see was panic in people’s eyes. I didn’t know if I should pick up my things or run… so I ran.”