Today at my health club there was a test of the fire alarm. There was a notice up that it would take place at 1.30. Swimmers would be required to get out of the pool and stand at the side. As I didn’t want to stand in the cold I only had a short swim so I would have time to shower and dress before it happened. They set it off 10 minutes early. As a result I was in the shower. The locker room attendant came in and told me I had to go and stand by the pool. I refused to do so with only a towel round me among men. She went off to report me to the manager. Obviously I would have done so if it wasn’t a test. I realise it is a legal requirement. But I do think it was unreasonable in the circumstances, and I told the manager so on my way out. I was livid. What would you have done?
Probably got back in the pool. 
You have missed my point EZ_Rider. They made everyone get out of the pool, and I was standing stark naked in the shower.
I think as it was merely a test, they could have been a little more tolerant of someone caught with nothing on and make a small allowance to make yourself decent during the drill.
If it were a real fire, wouldn’t it be instinctive to grab something to wear before assembling/leaving building?
I agree…and I don’t understand why they did the test 10 mins earlier than stated.
@littleannie I’m glad you stood up for yourself, I would have done the same. You could raise a complaint I suppose…if they tried to take it further. It was probably just a timed exercise for them to see how long it took to evacuate the place.
It was only a test which was early,you were in no danger.I would have done what you did but probably used stronger language.
I have to test our fire alarm weekly in the care home where I work, I test two alarm points , I do it at approximately 11 on Tuesday, it just tests that ( in our case) all the fire doors close, the electronic doors release and the alarm panel indicates the correct function, I imagine the swimming pool does a similar thing, if it’s just a test then I don’t understand why just informing people that an alarm test will take place at approximately 1.30, would need swimmers to stand at the side of the pool, and you’d be in trouble because you were having a shower, now a real fire or fire drill would be different, sounds like that member of staff requires more training…
Made sure the shower door was locked!
Supermarkets test their fire alarms regularly which they announce over the tannoy - they don’t expect the shoppers to evacuate the building but just carry on shopping.
I forgot to mention in my original post that members in the gym had to go and stand in the car park in the pouring rain! I think it was the way she told me she was going to report me to the manager and asked for my name, as if I was a naughty schoolgirl being reported to the headmaster, that really incensed me.
Maybe she got it wrong and it was a fire drill, that’s different.
Is this a private health club or local authority? You should formally complain. If they warn of a drill at a certain time and then do it 10 mins earlier when you timed your shower based on their notice, that is outrageous. Sounds more like a boot camp than a health club. Don’t they have reviews online?
It’s a private club Annie. I intend to speak to the manager when I go tomorrow. They have a spa area where they supply towelling dressing gowns to users. I am going to suggest that next time, they put some in the changing rooms for the members to use.
If they provide bath robes then they will have a premium monthly charge. They won’t want bad reviews. Tell the manager you want a written apology and compensation for the indignity and shock of being disturbed in the shower when you are in such a vulnerable state. Mention how this sort of shock can bring on a heart condition at your age. It’s clearly a failure of their own fire drill if they cannot stick to the published time for it.
They should apologise to all members for this. You won’t be the only one who has been misled into thinking it would be at the advertised time. It’s one thing making a mistake but they shouldn’t have been humiliating users of their facility by telling them off for their own poor management of the situation.
I’d have gone and stood by the pool in the nude…Serves them right!
that’s a great point for Littleannie to bring up with the manager! They do this again you will walk out nude.
Good grief! The shock of seeing my saggy old body would be enough to give everybody a heart attack!!
Haha, I am like-minded. If I flashed those folks wearing nothing but a towel (mumbling, “This will teach them,”) they would be having a meeting first-thing Monday morning, all hands on deck, to revise the policy. 
Ha ha, love it Surfermom!
Not if I was on the committee… 
Just more fire drills… 