Epic Fail During Fire Alarm

I went to visit a friend at her place of employment which just happens to be in a 4 story office building.  And, today just so happens to be one of my first experiences in hearing a fire alarm outside the station, in a long time. The sound was brief, but loud enough for me to get up from my seat, grab my coat, leave my friend's office with her in tow and head out of the maze of cubicles into the main hallway. Only about four other people followed us. (This is an office of 7 people). While we were walking one person asked what we should do, while another mentioned he didn't know where to go. I said we should take the stairs, go down to the lobby, outside and listen for instructions.

I was the only one, besides my friend and her two co-workers, who took the closest stairwell and it made me feel awkward. I don't know, but I think the others may have gone back to their cubicles in the office!  No, can't be, they must be exiting the building, I kept thinking to myself.  It's a fire alarm! But, I couldn't help but start to wonder why we were the only ones in the stairwell, other than a few people a few flights down. Were other people actually waiting for and using the elevator?

When we got to the first floor and looked around, I asked the closest person as we were walking out the main entrance if he heard an announcement or read an email saying the sound was a test - he said no but he thought everything was fine.

Standing out on the sidewalk across the street with about 30 people, no more than 35, I wondered... where the heck is everyone?  This is a 4 story office building, with more than 20 offices in the building and only 30/35 people made it out of the building during this fire alarm!!!

On scheduled, C Crew arrived on scene and within the next 15 minutes or so, we were given notice that it was OK to re-enter the building, false alarm.

As we came off the elevator and walked by the offices, we glanced in the windows to see people going about their business, doing probably the same things they were doing twenty minutes ago when the fire alarm sounded

When did people stop listening to fire alarms?!!!!??????????

UPDATE:  I have been advised that C Crew reported the events that unfolded.  There will be an investigation by Manitoba's Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC).  OFC takes any dangerous sense of complacency towards fire alarms serious!

I'm feeling pretty darn good about this! They're bringing in the Big Boss!

 ╔════════════════╗
       Shadow
╚════════════════╝