I was at Beverley Folk Festival when the fire alarm went off. The band carried on playing, and eventually the MC wandered on stage and suggested it might be due to the fogger they were using for the lights.

Now where I work, if the fire alarm goes off, hundreds of us have to troop out into the car park, until the fire brigade arrive and confirm that it was caused by someone burning the toast, even though we knew that all along.

Is the MC at an event in a position to make a judgement about whether or not a fire alarm is genuine or not?

I was also surprised how quiet the alarm was at Beverley. Where I work you want to get out to preserve your sanity, the alarm is so loud.