False alarm

It's surely one of the great unwritten rules of the universe that if the fire alarm goes off for real, then it's likely to be pouring outside, as indeed it was today. Result: everyone standing around for half an hour getting soaked, trying to huddle about the too-few umbrellas people had had the foresight to bring with them as they ran down the stairs.

It subsequently transpired that some eejit had been having a fly puff in the stairwell at the top of the building and had set off the smoke alarm. The all-users email threatening all sorts of dire consequences for the perp will surely follow tomorrow. Actually, if s/he had been caught this afternoon, we could have had a public hanging in the car park while we waited and we'd all have clapped.

The fire brigade turned up swiftly and mob-handed, complete with turntable ladder, which was reassuring. After their sad loss at the weekend, it must be tough for these guys turning out again and again, even for false alarms. Respect.