SMOKE IN CABIN AFTER LNDG RESULTS IN A RATHER CONFUSED EVAC OF AN MD81. SMOKE RPTED AS MINOR AND PROTECTING CIRCUIT BREAKER PERFORMED AS DESIGNED.

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LANDED. OPS ADVISED A 15 MIN WAIT FOR OUR GATE. STARTED APU; SHUT DOWN L ENG. 10 MINS INTO OUR WAIT; THE 'FORWARD WATER SYS FREEZE PROTECTION' CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED (GND SVC BUSS). 2 MINS LATER; A FLT ATTENDANT CALLED SAYING THERE WAS SMOKE IN THE CABIN. 15 SECONDS LATER; A DIFFERENT FLT ATTENDANT CALLED SAYING THE CABIN WAS FILLING WITH SMOKE. THE CAPT DECIDED AN EVAC WAS PRUDENT. ADVISED GND TO CALL CFR AND WE WERE EVACING. RAN EVAC CHKLIST. CAPT MADE A PA FOR PAX TO CALMLY EXIT THROUGH THE FORWARD CABIN AIRSTAIR DOOR. THE ATTENDANTS HAD TROUBLE LOCKING THE STAIRS. FIREFIGHTERS HELD THE STAIRS FIRMLY WHILE WE EVACED. AN ELDERLY WOMAN SEATED IN THE FRONT ROW NEEDED ASSISTANCE AND 'BLOCKED' THE REMAINDER OF PAX FROM QUICKLY EXITING. THE EVAC TOOK APPROX 5 MINS DUE TO THOSE 2 ITEMS. ALSO; SEVERAL PAX WANTED TO TAKE THEIR PERSONAL BELONGINGS WITH THEM. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE ACFT WAS TOWED TO THE GATE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) RUNNING THE MD80 EVAC CHKLIST INTERRUPTED PWR FROM THE FLT ATTENDANT'S INTERIOR PANEL; NOT ALLOWING THE STAIRS TO FULLY EXTEND; THEREFORE; NOT ALLOWING THEM TO LOCK. YOU MUST PROCEED OUTSIDE THE ACFT AND FLIP THE EXTERNAL PWR SWITCH FOR THE STAIRS. 2) PAX; WHEN THEY PERCEIVE THE THREAT NOT TO BE REAL; WILL NOT LISTEN TO CREW MEMBER'S REQUESTS EVEN WHEN SHOUTED VIA A MEGAPHONE. NO IDEA OF WHAT TO DO HERE. 3) PLAN ON PEOPLE NEEDING ASSISTANCE TO HAVE ASSISTANCE READILY AVAILABLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE SMOKE WAS FROM AN OVERHEATING HEATER IN THE FORWARD GALLEY. THE CIRCUIT BREAKER PROTECTING THE SYS DID POP AS DESIGNED AND SMOKE DISSIPATED AS SOON AS THE DOOR WAS OPENED TO EXIT THE AIRPLANE. ESCAPE SLIDES WERE NOT USED. THE EVAC CHKLIST WAS RUN; BUT IN REVIEWING THE INCIDENT; THE CREW DETERMINED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO HAVE RUN THE NORMAL SHUTDOWN CHKLIST. THIS WOULD HAVE LEFT PWR AVAILABLE TO OPERATE THE EXIT STAIRWAY SOLVING SOME OF THE EXIT PROBS.