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Board raises evacuation concerns after false fire alarm at Gladstone center
Summary
A board member described a loud false fire alarm that occurred during a yoga class and said there was no clear evacuation to a designated muster area; staff committed to a safety review, additional drills and coordination with emergency services.
Tony Bergeron, a board member, raised a safety concern after a false alarm sounded during a 10 a.m. yoga class at the center, saying the alarm continued for several minutes and left attendees dazed and uncertain about evacuation procedures.
"It didn't stop for about 3 good at least 3 to 5 minutes, and everybody was dazed and confused," Tony said, and added that people using walkers and scooters needed assistance and that attendees did not evacuate to a designated muster area.
Michelle acknowledged the concern and said the center has not conducted fire drills during her tenure. "I think we could take this as a learning opportunity that we should probably... come up with exactly where our meeting point is and what to do," she said, and pledged to "do a deep dive on all things safety at the center," train volunteers at the front desk and coordinate with staff and emergency responders.
Board members discussed the possibility that the alarm system may not be programmed to notify the fire department and suggested verifying whether the alarm is interwired to outside monitoring. The board agreed staff should reach out to the alarm company and the fire department, identify two muster areas (one for each exit), run drills and confirm protocols to assist mobility‑impaired attendees.
Michelle said she will follow up with staff and report the results of the safety review to the board.
