You hear an alarm at 3:45 AM, what do you do?

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tk149

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2002
7,253
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Early this morning, I was awakened by the sound of an alarm going off outside. I recently moved into a new apartment, and didn't know what was going on.

In my groggy state, I assumed that it was a car alarm, and hoped that it would shut off after a minute.

Five minutes later, the alarm was still sounding, and I realized that a quick bathroom break was required.

After business was taken care of, I noted that the alarm was still going off. It's been at least 10 minutes since the alarm first sounded, and that's assuming that I woke up relatively quickly.

I walk out onto my deck, and try to figure out where the alarm is coming from. It seems to be coming from a building down the road a bit. I can't really tell. I check the time. It's 3:45 AM.

I debated about whether to call 911 or the police station. Then I realized that I don't even know if 911 exists in this town. Plus, if the alarm is that important, there's bound to be some automated system that calls the police, right?

Yeah, keep in mind that I'm still groggy with sleep.

I dial directory assistance, and ask for the local police station. I get directly connected. The phone rings for awhile, and then my cellphone just gives up and hangs up. I directly call the number directory assistance gave me. After it rings for awhile, I realize that the alarm has finally stopped.

I go back to bed. About 5 minutes later, a fire engine shows up with sirens and flashing lights. I watch from afar and see flashlights illuminate parts of the building. I finally fall back asleep.

Cliffs:
Alarm sounds in the early early morning.
I wake up, debate on whether to call 911.
Fire Engine finally shows up around 20-30 minutes after the alarm goes off.

Moral: Do not live in Franklin, Wisconsin if you want a quick emergency response.

So should I have called 911 right away? Do any of our resident AT police officers care to comment?
 
Last edited:
hanoverphist

hanoverphist

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2006
9,867
23
76
tk149 said:
Morale: Do not live in Franklin, Wisconsin if you want a quick emergency response.
Click to expand...

your morale would be higher if you stuck to the moral of the story :p


if an alarm woke me up it would have to be in my drive way or next door, and at that point ill be out the door making sure its not my truck. of course ill have my phone (and pistol) in-hand just in case.
 
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gimmewhitecastles

Golden Member
Mar 2, 2005
1,834
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I think 911 should exist anywhere if you're in the US.
Call the police station to log a complaint.
Call 911 if you suspect criminal activity, especially if your life is at risk.

But if the alarm wasn't just a cheap sound alarm, it should have alerted the alarm company who in turn should have call the proper authorities to check out the situation.
 
techs

techs

Lifer
Sep 26, 2000
28,559
4
0
hehe. About 20 years ago I had just fallen asleep when a car alarm went off on my block. It woke me and kept going for at least an hour (in nyc they are supposed to turn off after something like 20 minutes)
At about 2:30 in the morning I called the cops since I and my neighbors couldn't get to sleep. They said there was nothing they could do.
After a 10 minute consultation with my neighbors, we had one of them call the police again, explain that they had the home telephone number of both the Queens borough President and the local representitive, since they did business with them. It was explained both would be called within 20 minutes and woken up with the explanation if the police weren't willing to turn of the alarm it was only fair our elected reps should also be awake.

Within 5 minutes or so we could see the police opening the hood of the car and disconnecting the battery.
 
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tk149

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2002
7,253
1
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hanoverphist said:
your morale would be higher if you stuck to the moral of the story :p


if an alarm woke me up it would have to be in my drive way or next door, and at that point ill be out the door making sure its not my truck. of course ill have my phone (and pistol) in-hand just in case.
Click to expand...

Fixed, thanks :oops:
 
TridenT

TridenT

Lifer
Sep 4, 2006
16,800
45
91
Wonder why the fuck an alarm is going off in a residential district of the city when there are no reasons for alarms other than maybe car alarms. (At which point I would just look out the window and see who's car is flashing)
 
lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,130
9,563
126
In the unlikely event it actually wakes me up, I generally get pissed. I don't think I've EVER heard a legitimate alarm.
 
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bobdole369

Diamond Member
Dec 15, 2004
4,504
2
0
Ever noticed that the cars most likely to benefit (that is those vehicles most likely to be stolen - aka Honda Accord, Toyota Camry - the *money* chop-shop shady mechanic part factories), etc have owners who are the least likely to think that their vehicle will be stolen, thus the most likely to not have an alarm.

While the most likely to have an alarm are folks with stuff in the car that nobody in the neighborhood would mind seeing stolen (stereos, cell phones, GPS, flashy screens, rims, etc) And it matters not if the vehicle is alarmed.
 
alkemyst

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
tk149 said:
Fire Engine finally shows up around 20-30 minutes after the alarm goes off.

Moral: Do not live in Franklin, Wisconsin if you want a quick emergency response.
Click to expand...

You know most areas have only one fire response unit right? If they are working a 'job' you probably won't even get an answer at the station.

911 knows which secondary / etc station to route the call too in that event. Further down the list the longer the response.

Thank paying people like school board members six figure incomes and pension packages...
 
S

Suspicious-Teach8788

Lifer
Feb 19, 2001
20,155
23
81
bobdole369 said:
Ever noticed that the cars most likely to benefit (that is those vehicles most likely to be stolen - aka Honda Accord, Toyota Camry - the *money* chop-shop shady mechanic part factories), etc have owners who are the least likely to think that their vehicle will be stolen, thus the most likely to not have an alarm.

While the most likely to have an alarm are folks with stuff in the car that nobody in the neighborhood would mind seeing stolen (stereos, cell phones, GPS, flashy screens, rims, etc) And it matters not if the vehicle is alarmed.
Click to expand...

except car alarms are standard now on accords and camrys? doesn't change the fact that they yield the most at chop shop places still, and will still be a better target to steal
 
Colt45

Colt45

Lifer
Apr 18, 2001
19,720
1
0
Chances are someone had already called, which is why the alarm was going off. It's probably to call up volunteer firefighters, if your town is that small.
 
Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
69,778
13,366
126
www.anyf.ca
Hmm at that time I'm probably in my most possible deepest sleep mode. It would have to be a pretty loud alarm to wake me up. Even my alarm clock wont cut it at that time. If I actually need to get up that early I need to setup something VERY loud like a 60hz saw wave blast at my speaker's highest setting.
 
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Lounatik

Golden Member
Oct 10, 1999
1,845
1
0
If an alarm goes off at 3:45 am, I am seriously fucked because now I am an hour and fifty minutes late for work.

Peace

Lounatik
 
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