False fire alarms in hospitals across the country have attracted the attention of Homeland Security, after witnesses to a few instances reported that the perpetrators were "middle eastern males" who tripped the alarms and exited the area, according to a recent DHS comment.

Emergency departments are reminded that responses to fire alarms can provide adversaries with information about numbers of responder personnel, apparatus, equipment, routes used, staging locations, tactics, occupant collection points, etc. DHS stated.

Hospitals are a recurring concern in terorism scenarios after informants or detainees mentioned them as potential targets, and incidents of false "inspectors" and now the "false fire alarm" reports have surfaced.