What would you grab?
What would you have grabbed first . . .?
There was a fire in my apartment complex early this morning. It was in the apartment next door but one to mine. The fire alarm went off at 6:30 am and then the fire engines came swooping in sirens blaring!
I’d love to say I was already up, but having gone to bed at 2:30 in the morning, I was out for the count.
We have a weird fire policy here . . . if you’re on the first floor you stay in the apartment, those on the ground floor go out of their French doors.
After throwing on some clothes I grabbed my laptop and threw it into a bag. Then I put on my trainers (tennis shoes) opened a window, and got ready to climb out if necessary . . . Yep, I watch too many movies.
The front door is a fire door. That’s why we’re supposed to stay in the apartment (I guess they think it will protect us?). We are not supposed to open the door while the alarm is sounding.
After 20 minutes I got fed up (the alarm was still going so I couldn't focus on anything). The firemen I could see from my window looked pretty calm; no one was coughing from smoke inhalation with some rugged hunk yelling “We need oxygen over here, stat!”. So I checked to see if my front door felt hot (see, watching movies comes in handy) – it wasn't, so I opened it.
Two firemen were taking a very large fan into the apartment, out of which smoke was pouring, which led me to conclude the fire was out and the fan was to blow the smoke out of the windows, not to make the flames bigger.
As I waited for the alarm to stop I realized the first thing I had grabbed, to accompany me out of the window, was my computer (if I had a husband, child, dog or cat, believe me the computer would not have come first!).
So what does that say about me? What material item would you have grabbed first?
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Caden, thank God all worked out well, fires are weird, I lost a good friend to one, and as the story went, he had a carosene heater heating up a back room, and when he opened up the outside door it caused a back-draft of some sort that engaged the fire out of control. He got to his girlfriend, threw her out a window, she lived but he died. I am so glad you are fine. What would I have grabbed first? Your story made me think....of where I do have my fire extinguisher....in the basement....from your story...thank you, I grabbed my fire extinguisher from the basement, and put it in my kitchen. Probably wouldn't hurt to buy another one.
Oh I am so sorry to hear about your friend Zane. What a hero.
(I mentioned in a comment below that the blog was a little tongue-in-cheek, and I hope no one thought I was being blasé about a very serious subject.) Thank you for your concern.
I'm glad the story made you think about your fire extinguisher, and I hope you have bought another one. If we have any firemen/women in the community it would be nice to get some tips from them.
Thanks again Zane. Cheers, Caden
I had an experience like yours once, also living on the first floor, but this was twenty years ago before I owned a laptop. While considering exiting the window with sheets etc. my mind was made up for me by a muscular fireman who frog-marched me down the stairs through the smoke, having kicked the door in. I suppose ask questions later is their motto, thankfully.
You know what, the blog was a little tongue in cheek, but I'm so grateful for the fire department and all they do, and my heart goes out to anyone who has been caught in a fire. I think my reaction was a little laid back because I was watching the non-verbals of the firemen and they didn't seem too worried.
A muscular fireman can kick my door down any day!
Caden, I may not be muscular or a fireman, but I would like to knock gently on your door, LOL.
Hey, if you're in the UK we'll get to meet at the get together MikeyB is planning for 2014.
So, I'm expecting you to come charging through the door and fireman lift me to a safe place - just don't have a hernia! :)
Guess I must reveal a secret. Have my computer, satchel and my morning clothes to put on ready to go at a moment's notice due to all those years being on trauma call. ^_~
That's a great plan. This whole thing has got me thinking about what I need to safeguard in the event of a fire (or other disaster).
We had a similar incident a few years back, the entire building was emergency evacuated in the early hours. I spent weeks and weeks trying not to laugh outright at my neighbours whenever I recalled what they'd happened to be "wearing" that night and that some of them had to trapse about London in the early hours and the next day in the most inappropriate garb you've ever seen. Priceless! :) R. x
The mind boggles:)
That reminds me of a time I flew to Rome on business. The airline lost my suitcase and I had to go to a meeting the next morning wearing mufti! That taught me a lesson - to pack business clothes in my carry on when flying on business . . .
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Wake up my husband,daughter grab the dogs and leave.maybe my laptop.
Thanks Crystal. Apart from spouses, children and pets, laptops are in the lead :)