I would like to find a template for Microsoft Access so that I can control my restaurant using a POS-based system. Thanks.
If it has a panel, there might be lights or an LCD screen telling you why. As you mentioned about the restaurant, it's possibly a complex system with lots of detectors (heat, gas, smoke, etc). The system is likely to have call stations (what you pull to set it off), and if these are old/wires breaking or weren't installed correctly in the first place, they will set off the alarm. If there was a sudden change in the electricity powering the system, this could also set off the alarm. Similarly, if it has battery backup, a low battery will set the thing going. If it didn't go off again after you reset it, it was probably a false alarm/fault with the system. If you're still worried or if it goes off again, call in either the Fire service or the manufacturer of the panel (or installer), and see if they can find a cause.
I think snopes covered this issue - it's partially true. I think the issue was in WWII canteens, behind the lines, and the problem was the european soldiers were being asked to pay, and the americans were not, even though the americans were MUCH better paid than the europeans. So the us army asked the salvation army to charge the US soldiers, to keep it fair. The red cross does not charge anyone for help after fires and other disasters - that was a rumor spread by the nazis to undermine the war effort. I think I have the gist of this correct.
