Twist it and see what it does

[Dentarthurdent]

So it's about 10:45 the other morning, I have a very light workload for once, and the guest from my very last room to check out is finally gathering his things. I'm working in the linen closet nearby and I hear this clicking sound, followed by a far-off "SCREEEE", and then another rapid clicking sound, and silence.

The customer comes up to me and says "Excuse me, what do those timer knobs do?"

"Where is the knob, sir?"

"Right here next to my room."

"I honestly don't know, sir. I'm sorry." He says "No problem" and leaves. Well, now I have to twist the knob. Click click SCREEEEE! WTF is this? Nothing I'm supposed to be doing, I'm sure. I go in the room and look around. There's a plastic and metal thing near the ceiling labeled "DOORBELL" and I figure it must be that, but I'm mystified as to why only these two rooms on the entire floor of the hotel have doorbells. And why a timer knob? They're usually used to, you know, keep a light on for 15-20 minutes or some such.

I step back out of the room, leaving the door open, and give the timer knob a hearty twist. SCREEEE! Flashing lights. I turn it off and go back in the room. Oh...fire alarm.

Not really sure who had the biggest brain burp: the customer, me, or the company for not labelling a damn fire alarm pull switch! And why, why, WHY is it a TIMER KNOB???

[HYHYBT]

Well how else were you supposed to find out what it was? There's no way you'd have guessed it was anything like what it turned out to be, and no rational person would have found it in a fire.

Might want to stick a label on it now, if you can.

[XCashier]

Not really sure who had the biggest brain burp: the customer, me, or the company for not labelling a damn fire alarm pull switch! And why, why, WHY is it a TIMER KNOB???

I'd say the company is most at fault. It's a bad setup and it could cause a lot of problems in the future. You might want to ask the higher-ups about it.