History Main / AlarmSOS

* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'':
** During "The Goo" arc, Tedd attempts to use the high school fire alarm sprinklers to dilute the mutant goo creature he created. Subverted, since the sprinkler system is broken due to the principal spending the budget on murals.
** Later, during the "Sister" arc, Susan pulls the fire alarm to evacuate the school when a stronger version of the goo creature attacks.

Note that an alarm being tripped [[Administrivia/PeopleSitOnChairs for its intended purpose]], as a means of demonstration of function, or as a distraction for enemies doesn't count.

* {{Exploited|Trope}} in ''[[Literature/FortunesOfWar Dreadnought!]]''. Piper is confined to her quarters under computer guard after the initial meeting with ''Star Empire''[='s=] hijackers, but knowing that the computer guard won't keep someone locked in a burning room, she sets off the fire alarm by overheating some circuitry in the wall with her curling iron. It works because (thanks to her engineer boyfriend) she knows how to disable the alarms that would normally alert the bridge and bring a whole pack of {{Red Shirt}}s down on a prisoner under computer guard whose room actually suddenly caught fire.

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* In the ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' episode "Trapped With A Vengeance", when Jonny the Janitor traps Dexter in a class room using barred gates on every possible opening, Dexter pulls the fire alarm. It works, but only enough for Dexter to escape into the vents before Jonny turns up the heating system.

Fire alarms, security systems, and other such means of alert are intended to be passive ways of letting people know that something's gone wrong. However, sometimes a character is in a bad spot and needs help, but has no active means to summon anyone. By deliberately tripping whatever alarm is available, they can broadcast their distress and (hopefully) count on whoever shows up to assist them.

* In ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', when Ripley realizes that she and Newt are locked in the facility's medical bay with live facehuggers, she first tries to get the attention of the Colonial Marines in the control room, not knowing that [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Burke]] has turned off the feed to the security cameras. After failing to break a window with a chair, she gets the idea to use her cigarette lighter to trip the fire suppression system. The Marines don't know what's actually happening, but Hicks sees the alarm notification on the computer and they come to her and Newt's rescue.

* Happens twice in Creator/JohnCarpenter's ''Film/TheThing1982''.
** The Thing infiltrates the camp in the form of a dog. After it is put in the kennel with the other dogs, it starts to transform so it can absorb and duplicate them. [=MacReady=] hears the real dogs' terrified barking and howling from several rooms away, and pulls the fire alarm to get the attention of the other members of the team so they will come and help out.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' episode "Trapped With A Vengance", when Jonny the Janitor traps Dexter in a class room using barred gates on every possible opening, Dexter pulls the fire alarm. It works, but only enough for Dexter to escape into the vents before Jonny turns up the heating system.

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!! Examples:

->''"Well, in any major city, minding your own business is a science. First thing they teach women in rape prevention is never cry for help. Always yell "fire". [[ApatheticCitizens Nobody answers to "help".]] You holler "fire", they come running."''

->''"Well, in any major city, minding your own business is a science. First thing they teach women in rape prevention is never cry for help. Always yell "fire". [[[[ApatheticCitizens Nobody answers to "help".]] You holler "fire", they come running."''

* {{Exploited|Trope}} in ''[[Literature/FortunesOfWar Dreadnought!]]''. When Piper is confined to her quarters under computer guard, she uses her curling iron to overheat some circuitry in the wall and trigger the fire alarm, knowing that the security protocol will override itself and open the doors to prevent trapping someone in a burning room.

* In ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', when Ripley realizes that she and Newt are locked in the facility's medical bay with live facehuggers, she first tries to get the attention of the Colonial Marines in the control room, not knowing that [[CorruptCorporateExecutve Burke]] has turned off the feed to the security cameras. After failing to break a window with a chair, she gets the idea to use her cigarette lighter to trip the fire suppression system. The Marines don't know what's actually happening, but Hicks sees the alarm notification on the computer and they come to her and Newt's rescue.

* In ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', when Ripley realizes that she and Newt are locked in the facility's medical bay with live facehuggers, she first tries to break the windows with a chair. When that fails, she uses her cigarette lighter to trip the fire suppression system. The Colonial Marines don't know what's actually happening, but they see the alarm notification on the computer and come to her and Newt's rescue.

* In ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', Cartman (somehow) managed to snuck into the homes of each Coon & Friends member to place a Coon Siren to summon them for a meeting. They're quick to tell him they nearly got in trouble at home for it.

* In ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'', when Barbossa's crew is attacking the Dauntless after luring most of the Marines away, a British sailor manages to ring the ship's bell, alerting Norrington and the Marines to the attack.

* In the ''Series/BabylonFive'' episode "Exogenesis". Marcus tries to contact security with Dr. Franklin's stolen comlink. Since Marcus's DNA doesn't match Dr. Franklin's, this triggers an alarm and notifies security of his location, exactly what he was trying to achieve.