DC9-30 CREW HAD LAV SMOKE ALARM SOUND ON SHORT APCH AND LNDG AT DTW.

Narrative

AFTER LNDG; ENROUTE TO THE GATE; THE AFT FA RPTED: 'AFT RIGHT LAVATORY SMOKE DETECTOR IS GOING OFF;' TO THE LEAD FA. THE LEAD FA RELAYED THE MSG TO THE CAPT AND MOVED AFT TO INVESTIGATE. THE AFT LAV DOOR WAS OPENED TO CHK FOR SMOKE AND/OR FIRE. NONE WAS FOUND. THIS WAS RPTED TO THE CAPT. FA'S CONTINUED TO INVESTIGATE. THEY OPENED THE UNDER SINK CABINET. NOTING A SUSPICIOUS 'AMBER GLOW'; UNDER THE SINK; WITH THE SMOKE ALARM STILL 'ON'; THEY DISCHARGED ONE HALON FIRE EXTINGUISHER INTO THE AREA BELOW THE SINK. THEY ALSO REMOVED THE TRASH BIN AND DETERMINED THAT THE ENTIRE AREA WAS COLD AND THAT THERE WAS NO SMELL OF SMOKE. MEANWHILE; THE CAPT DECLARED AN EMER AND CONTINUED TO MONITOR THE SIT AND TAXIED TO THE GATE. THE CO-PLT COORDINATED ALL OF THE COMS WITH ATC AND RAMP CTL. UPON ARR AT THE GATE NORMAL DEPLANING OCCURRED (WITH THE SMOKE ALARM STILL ON) AND THE FIRE DEPT PERSONNEL ENTERED THE ACFT THROUGH THE AFT AIR STAIRS. ALL CREW MEMBERS WERE CONSULTED; FOLLOWING THE TERMINATION OF THE EVENT NO ONE RPTED ANY 'POST INCIDENT' STRESS. ALL CHOSE TO CONTINUE AS SCHEDULED. THE AFT FA RECALLED THAT THE SMOKE ALARM ACTUALLY STARTED TO 'BUZZ' ON SHORT FINAL. BECAUSE SHE HAD NOT BEEN TRAINED TO KNOW WHAT THE ALARM SOUNDED LIKE AND BECAUSE OF THE VERY HIGH NOISE LEVEL IN THAT AREA. IT WAS NOT UNTIL AFTER CLRING THE RWY; WITH THE ENGS AT IDLE; THAT SHE COULD CLEARLY HEAR AND IDENTIFY THE SMOKE ALARM TONE! THE FA'S HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED IN HOW TO UNLATCH THE (HIDDEN) MECHANISM HOLDING THE UNDER SINK CABINET DOOR. THE FA'S ARE NOT AWARE OF THE PRESENCE OF THE 'AMBER LIGHT' UNDER THE LAV SINK; ASSOCIATED WITH THE WATER HEATER! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED HE SUBMITTED AN EXTENSIVE RPT TO THE COMPANY HAS IGNORED HIS SUGGESTIONS AND NO CHANGES IN FA TRAINING ARE SCHEDULED OR HAVE TAKEN COMPANY. HE DOCUMENTED THE ALLEGED DEFICIENCY IN FA TRAINING. HE THEN FOLLOWED UP THE RPT WITH PERSONAL CONTACT WITH FA TRAINING AND ACR FLT SAFETY. AS FAR AS HE KNOWS THE CO PLACE.