Western Washington University

05/08/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/08/2026 12:23

A couple of things we can all pull from Old Main's fire alarm yesterday

A couple of things we can all pull from Old Main's fire alarm yesterday

May 8, 2026

On Thursday, May 7, the fire alarm system in Old Main was activated at approximately 12:26 p.m., prompting a full building evacuation. Building occupants responded appropriately and evacuated while emergency responders investigated the situation.

The Bellingham Fire Department arrived on scene around 12:33 p.m., alongside Western Washington University Police Department and Facilities Management personnel. As part of standard emergency response procedures, the audible fire alarm was silenced once the building had been evacuated and first responders began assessing the situation.

At approximately 12:42 p.m., responders issued an "all clear," and occupants re-entered the building. Some individuals noted that visual fire alarm strobes remained active after re-entry. Investigation determined the alarm had been triggered by a faulty or dirty smoke detector, resulting in a false alarm. Because the malfunctioning detector prevented the fire alarm system from fully resetting, the visual strobes remained activated until maintenance personnel could address the issue.

Importantly, there was no active fire or danger to building occupants during the incident.

While false alarms can be disruptive, incidents like this provide an important reminder about campus emergency preparedness and personal safety:

  • Know your building's evacuation routes and designated assembly points.
  • Be familiar with your Building Coordinators and Floor Coordinators, who help guide emergency response efforts.
  • Review your department's Emergency Action Plan regularly and ensure it is up to date.
  • If something does not seem right after an "all clear" - such as continued alarm activity, smoke, unusual odors, or other concerning conditions - consider delaying re-entry until you receive additional information or instructions from emergency personnel.

Additional emergency planning resources, including evacuation assembly locations and preparedness guidance, are available through Western's Emergency Management and Business Continuity website.

Departments are also encouraged to review and update their Emergency Action Plans as needed and submit revised plans to [email protected].

Western Washington University published this content on May 08, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 08, 2026 at 18:24 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]