Fire alarm
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Fire alarms may be triggered automatically by smoke detectors, heat sensors or manually. Manual fire alarm buttons or pull stations are sometimes protected by glass which must be smashed to set off the alarm. Protective covers may also be placed on the station to help prevent false alarms.
Especially in college dorms and high schools, there has been an epidemic of students pulling the fire alarm as a prank. Since this wastes the fire department's time an resources for no reason, as well as a meaningless evacuation of the building, it is often a felony offense.
New devolopments in fire detection technology allow fire alarms to be activated when a fire sprinkler is activated in the building. Many fire alarms have strobes instead of regular lights to warn the deaf and hard of hearing.