I'm glad the chain link ladder spoke to you, Lil
I've two experiences of fire alarms in public spaces, though none at home. I was on a train that stopped at Clapham Junction for ages, and I was smelling smoke. Nothing came over the tannoy. It was packed (high summer) and I was mid-way between two sets of doors. Eventually I though to myself, lots of kids are on this train, between me and the doors, I'm going to have to get them all off before I can get out. And I decided to safeguard myself, and be more use to them in an emergency, and got out of the train, went to sit on the platform seating. About 5 minutes later, the train was evacuated. We'd sat at the platform the whole time, and there was no problem in the end, but it was a potential emergency.
Other time was in a hotel in Blackpool

at a science fiction convention

the dancing at night in the disco was so ... energetic ... it shook free the dust in the air vents, which set off the fire alarms (particulates, I suppose, that could have been ash from fires). Me and my mate had only just gone to bed, 2 am or so, but she was zonked, and I practically carried her out. Next night, the same again, but I was the zonked one, and she carried me. The third night, yet again - we were fed up by that time, and stayed in our beds with the door to the room open (innocent days!) watching and smelling for potential problems. It was loose dust each time, and we did hear the Fire Brigade threatened to fine the hotel
It was before I knew much about prepping, and on the two nights when we actually congregated at the assembly points, we didn't even have out handbags with us - tickets home, credit cards, house keys, nothing. It just didn't occur to us. For things like a house fire, that level of stuff is really important. Nowadays, it would be your phone as well.
In making a BOB, I've kept some documents I'd want to take in a little fire safe - but I've put them in a separate envelope, clearly marked, so instead of picking them out of the safe one by one, I just take the envelope and go. The other stuff in there is nice to have, but not essential.