In message
, at
06:18:35 on Sun, 17 Jul 2011, D7666 remarked:
You know it's the fire alarm I suppose? Why did it stop - probably
because someone reset whatever was causing the false alarm.

No its is not the fire alarm.

Inspector Sands is an alert (or alarm if you must) to advise station
staff that a fire alarm point has been activated.

The difference between a fire alarm and a notification that a fire alarm
has been activated is so small that it beggars belief.

I presume what you really meant, was to try to differentiate between a
fire alarm and a call to evacuate public from the premises. The latter
might be for other reasons than a fire, of course.

Just to try to sort out the various nuances, I've been in several
central London (usually government) premises where an alarm has sounded
which has specifically asked for the premises not to be evacuated [yet].
While they decide if it's necessary.
--
Roland Perry