Disco Inferno

We had our big youth fundraiser this weekend . . . a spaghetti dinner and auction. I got to the church early to start working on the pasta. Knowing church kitchens, we thought it would be best to have all the pasta cooked and then just re-heat it all in hot water when we got there. I started the water boiling and noticed that something was starting to smoke from the burner underneath the pot. Not a moment later, ALL of the fire alarms in the building were going off . . . flashing lights, screaching sounds, and a message that blared all through the building and through the outside speakers as well (who knew?!?! . . . does every church have outside fire alarm speakers?) informing everyone to evacuate the building immediately and that the fire department would be on its way. I panicked! I quickly took the pot off of the stove, tried to prop open all the doors and windows and called 911 to let them know it wasn't an emergency, just some food apparently baked on the coil burners, but that the fire alarm needed to be turned off. When I'm at home and this happened once, I could just remove the batteries to get the screaching to start, not so at the church. Pretty soon, here came some neighbor kids on their bikes to see what was happening since the blaring message was on a continuous loop, then the High Council rep who had been on the job a week and didn't know where the shut-off keys were . . . I kept looking and hoping for the fire department.

Some of our girls got to the church early and helped me open windows and shared my panic with me. Luckily, the baptism that was supposed to be happening at this same time didn't . . . now that would have been the ultimate embarrassment. And, because I live in the sticks . . . a literal half hour went by before the fire department and several police vehicles made it to the church. (Now I know why they stress emergency preparedness so much out here . . . it really will be days before we get some response when something really happens). The firemen jokingly asked what was for dinner, got the fire alarm turned off, made our report with the police department and we started airing out the building of smoke. Needless to say, I wasn't touching the stove burners again and we tried using the ovens instead to warm the noodles. My heart rate was going a mile a minute by the time everyone started coming. But, the church didn't burn down, we got everyone fed and then some, and ended up having a successful evening.