Ian F. wrote:

"Jonathan Morris" wrote in message
ups.com...

He gets about a lot (or is it a woman?!) and so they probably need to
call out every now and then to check (s)he's not skiving in Starbucks
or McDonalds... To keep him, or her, on their toes they'll also request
they go to different parts of the station.

LOL!

From http://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqu...-22390,00.html

"I am an inspector at several places throughout London. As I am a little
absent-minded I often forget my sandwiches. My wife will often drop them
off for me and this is then announced on the tannoy." (Johnathan Sands
(Inspector), London)

Ian


And also from that Guardian Notes and Queries page this somewhat less
prosaic but also what I suspect to be somewhat closer to the truth
answer:

-----
One slightly anal point. It's not to warn that there is a fire, it's to
warn that a fire call point has been activated. Nine times out of ten
they are false alarms, either activated by someone 'for a lark', or set
off because of high amounts of dust in the atmosphere (this is more
prevalent since the at King's Cross since the refurbishments started)
If there is an actual fire, you won't hear the 'Inspector Sands'
message, you will hear "due to a reported emergency, will all
passengers please leave the station immediately."

John Porter, London
-----


I don't know what the specific procedure is with regards to fire alerts
and evacuating Underground stations - perhaps someone who does know
might like to enlighten us - but I am certain that if there is any real
fire risk then the station is evacuated. After the Kings Cross fire of
1987 fire safety procedures on the Tube were very considerably
tightened and are followed rigorously. So merely hearing an Inspector
Sands announcement doesn't mean it's time to panic!