Don't fire exits set off alarms?

I don't know how it works in the USA, but in UK cinemas if you went to the front and opened a fire exit, it would be connected to an alarm.

So if the shooter opened the door and then left, propping the door open to return with his weapons, how come there was no alarm?

I don't really like to speculate too early, and I see a lot of that is already being done here as expected, but surely opening a fire exit would sound an alarm?

How long was he supposed to be gone before returning?

Not all the time. We went to a movie in nj a while back and it was PACKED. We didn't want to wait to get out, so we went through the fire door. I braced myself for the alarm, but nothing happened.

reply to post by Wonderer2012

Not generally in the U.S., No. As others point out, these exist are often seen as something to encourage people to use so the exiting crowds don't mix to form a mob in the lobby, all heading to the same few doors at once.

I generally park near and use one of these when I can place in my mind just where the screen inside may be in relation... It makes exiting a very quick and painless thing when hundreds have the same idea in the other direction.

reply to post by Wonderer2012


I have heard that the alarms are activated for the exits in movie theaters when the theater is closed; when the theater is open and is running movies; the alarms are not on; so people can use the exits without them going off.

Whether this is actually true or not; I am not sure.

One theater I went too years ago was just the exit door for after the movie.. they sent you straight into the parking lot... I don't know if it was an exit or an emergency exit door?

this whole thing is sad

OK thanks all.

I was just curious, I know a lot of emergency exits say 'if opened will set off the alarm'.

In my workplace it is a silent alarm that goes to head office, but not sure about Cinemas.

Here in the US, they aren't rigged with an alarm. This is how we used to sneak our friends in when the ushers weren't looking....However, that was a long time ago. It seems to me that these doors would be watched more closely, but I have seen people go out of them during the movie, and nothing happens, except the door can only be used if you're already inside. Once you're outside, and that door closes, you're out of luck.

Which begs the question, how did the gunman in Colorado "kick open" the door from the outside..??? The story about the guy in the front row who answers his phone, goes outside of that door and then comes back in doesn't ring true either, unless the door was propped open with something.

It's not a fire exit. It's the exit in front of the theater next to the screen. People exit out of them sometimes after the movie instead of going back the way they came. Employees also use them to take out the trash after cleaning up after each movie gets over so they are not seen carrying bags of trash through the lobby, where people would be standing in line purchasing food and drinks. These doors are all equipped with a mechanism to allow employees to return after taking trash to the dumpster. The mechanism can be learned by a curious person who is mechanically inclined. As a teen I used to sneak into movies a lot, and this wasn't useful for that, per se, as its a good way to get caught if you're using it to sneak other people in. But as a mechanically interested guy with a job in construction, doors and locking mechanisms were something I dealt with. I don't go to movies nearly as often today, but I use the mechanism to keep the door open while I step outside for a smoke, as its closer and quicker than going back through the lobby so I could get back to watching my movie. The mechanism usually includes an inch and a half strip, connected to the door itself, that runs from the top of the door to the bottom and is situated between the door and the doorjamb. If you know how, you can cause this strip of "extra door" to tilt inward or outward enough so that It will obstruct the door from being shut. Another process will bring it to its original position so that It may be shut properly again.

The employees cleaning up In between movoes woukd have put it to its origonal position, unless they were in on It,, so a movie goer watching the movie previously shown In the same theater could not have been the one to leave it In the open position.

Anyway, im sure there are other doors with other mechanisms but these are the ones I am familiar with in the US. There may even be some with alarms, I have just never seen them, or seen them labeled as fire.doors. the standard exit sign Is lit up above the door. I hope that helps.

reply to post by FissionSurplus


Yeah, the door could only be kicked open outward from the inside. They only open outward. Could a second person have kicked it open from inside and ran outside as the armed man came in? As part of the plot? I dunno... Too many different stories going on... Scared witnesses can do that. But in the following days as they can calm down, maybe people will begin to remember other details. Or remember that certain things they said dint actually happen... But would they want to admitted made a mistake while the whole world Is facing them?

reply to post by FissionSurplus

You bring up a point I've not heard anyone mention... not the kicking part. Go ask RT. I only heard a formal report of door kicking for that crew..

Keeping an eye though.. Why wasn't there one?? The camera I have on USB in my carport gives me clarity in near total blackness out to the curb a bit beyond. I paid less than $20 for it in a Big Lots bargain bin. Surely a multi-million dollar theater chain ought to have night-vision capable cameras in a business where 90% of the time, the public sits in darkness.

Heck..It'd be a technical nightmare for the changing lighting from the screen, but I'm not suggesting I can install one..just saying they really make me curious for why they don't?

reply to post by Wonderer2012


Here in the U.S. they're called emergency exits and they have alarms. Fire exists aren't really the same. Especially in movie theatres.

reply to post by Wonderer2012


Some do some don't.
If these exits will also be used for convenient crowd dispursal than generally no.