Should you go upstairs during a fire alarm?

The answer depends upon your situation! If you are in a basement of a dwelling, and the fire exit is upstairs, then it would be wise to go upstairs to exit when the fire alarm sounds. If you are below decks in a ship, going upstairs may also be the only way to get to safety when an alarm sounds.

In other situations, where you are already at the ground floor or above, going upstairs may be a poor choice.

However, there are high-rise alarm systems that will, in fact, direct some people "upstairs" away from a fire, at least temporarily. In theory, this allows firefighters time to enter and put out the fire. In reality, it may put occupants at a higher risk by moving them further from the only workable exits, at the ground floor.