Like firefighters rushing to a five-alarm fire, policy makers are making mistakes that will be apparent only in retrospect.

就像是听到火警冲入烈火中的消防员一样，国会议员现在正在犯错误，而这种错误只有在回头来看时才能一目了然。

youdao

Firefighters work to put out the remainders of a three-alarm fire that broke out at 502 East 14th Street, in lower Manhattan on May 12, 2010.

2010年5月12号，消防战士正在扑灭发生于曼哈顿下城14街东502号的火灾。

youdao

The smoke sets off the fire alarm.

烟雾触发了火警报警器。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

So when the fire alarm bell rang, men near the sound of the fire bell dropped what they were doing and rushed out to fight the fire.

VOA: special.2009.05.17

Seiko wrote there was a similar fire in Kabukicho,Japan in two thousand one: "The building had a fire alarm apparatus but the switch was turned off because of poor maintenance.

VOA: special.2011.03.18

Right now, the GOP is racing headlong into a three-alarm fire with a bucket brigade.

FORBES: Move up http://i.forbesimg.com t Move down

Now, with the NFL owner lockout looming, there should be a three-alarm fire blazing in the brain of each wanna-be-millionaire-forever player.

FORBES: Opportunity From Adversity: The NFL Bargaining Extension As A Player B-School

However, this is far from a three-alarm fire, Rosales points out.

FORBES: For Latin America, China Both Friend And Foe