Do you have a fire plan?

Hi all,

We just had a fire in our apartment building this evening.

We live on the 15th floor and the fire was on the penthouse, four floors above.

I was home alone and the alarm went off. We were advised there was an alarm on the second floor and we should stay put and await further announcements.

None came. Within a couple of minutes I heard a lot of yelling. I go out on my balcony and people on the ground are yelling up that the building is on fire. Dozens of people are running towards my building from every direction.

I grabbed the phone and called Ted, who was visiting a friend several blocks away. I told him there was a fire in the building. As I walk into my den I see an ember fall by my window.

Fuck! Ted said he was on his way, he told me to stay calm, stay put, get the cats ready, and wait for further instruction. I looked out the windows again, and by now, it's bedlam on the street and everyone is waving and yelling at people looking out the windows, telling them to get out. People in the hallway said the fire was above and they were leaving.

So, I loaded the cats into the carrier and headed down. And away I went. By the time I got down to the ground, a friend told me Ted was looking for me.

After about ten minutes, Ted came out of the building. He had gone in and ran up the stairs to make sure we got out. (As he hit Church Street four blocks away from our apartment, he could see the flames in the penthouse. The poor guy just about shit himself.) Then on his way back down to the ground, he carried an old man on his back down five flights, where a couple took over and got the man out. (What a guy, ain't he great?)

We're not sure, but it looks like the victim of the fire, who happenes to be my trainer, lost her chihuahua.

So, do you have a fire plan?

If you work from home, do you have a back up of your computer? Is that back up off site?

Do you have insurance?

Do you and your family know where to meet in case you're separated in the chaos?

I'm so angry with the building management that there were no further announcements telling us where the fire was and what we should do. The well-meaning people on the street were adding to the confusion and chaos and the management should have known that and placed further announcements.

Thankfully, it doesn't look like anyone was hurt, although we're still not sure about the dog.

Be prepared, it can happen to you.

Cheers
Dzinerbear

Oh and I totally forgot. Guess who was standing on my street watching the mayhem? Jasun. So we had nice little gab about biz stuff and other stuff.

Funny how I'm running into him everywhere I do and yet before now, I had never seen him before.

Cheers
Michael

i'm VERY sorry this happened to you, and i thank you for the wakeup call. the backups i have are in this computer on an extra harddrive, and if i'm carrying the cats in carriers and one bass... i better go buy a removeable harddrive.

i'm glad you and ted and the cats are okay!

Same here big guy... I'm glad to here you are all ok.

And you're right... we should all have backups and plans. My plan has always been grab the dog, the pc box, lee get's the laptop and cash and we're outta here! Now that I think of it. Should a fire happen in the office, we're fucked. We'd leave from the other side of the house.

I need to do some serious thinking about backing up onto a server or somewhere.

I'm just happy to know you're ok.

Hugs,
Gary-Alan

PS: It is in Jasun's nature to watch things burn... isn't it? LOL

Glad Ted, your animals and yourself are okay Michael but that does suck to have happened :(

Jasun was there too? theres a rumor in that somewhere im sure!

Regards,

Lee

I think Jasun's stalking me, or maybe he's after my husband, because I sure do see him around my neighbourhood a lot these days.

:biker:
Dzinerbear

You know, I've thought about what we'd do in the same situation. I do have two huge pens on the front porch that animals could go into, as well as a pickup that has a cap ... as to the computer stuff - omg, that would be a nightmare to loose it and all my software. The software and computer stuff I have is probably worth more than the house at this point.

That removable drive idea is a good one, I may rethink how I setup this whole sheebang...

Quote:

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Originally posted by Dzinerbear
I think Jasun's stalking me, or maybe he's after my husband, because I sure do see him around my neighbourhood a lot these days.:biker:
Dzinerbear

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I really.. really... am not stalking you.

i'm stalking that hunky guy with the goatee I introduced you to.

OK, maybe you guys too, a little.

wow! glad you are okay. fires are scary.

a few years ago while I was living in northern san diego county, a wild fire came within about a mile of my apartment. i stood on my patio and watched it. It's funny how in a situation like that, all of the material things don't seem to matter anymore. We had to load up a small pick up and it basically came down to the cat, the computer, pictures a few mementos, and my boxes of writing. Luckily, the fire was contained before it actually reached us.

Such a good idea to have a plan, though. My important stuff is so spread out now, not to mention all of my computer equipment and files.

I had a financial advisor tell me to put my important documents in an envelope in the freezer.... she said it's a poor man's safe, as a refridge is usually protective of fire/flood, etc....of course 5 years later that's still on my 'to do list'

Quote:

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Originally posted by Jasun
I really.. really... am not stalking you.

i'm stalking that hunky guy with the goatee I introduced you to.

OK, maybe you guys too, a little.

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ill come to TO and u can stalk me. ill stalk u back if u want. *giggle*

glad everythings ok michael.

wtf are u paying ur trainer anyway... the penthouse? sheesh...

Quote:

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Originally posted by RainGurl
of course 5 years later that's still on my 'to do list'

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Haha same here Rainey, and not just with the fire plan too :eek:

Regards,

Lee

no plans here
we're in a 2 stories building so I can either run out the door into the parking lot or jump out of the bedroom/balcony on the grass

my grandma does live on the 15th floor, it's pretty interesting trying to get out during an earthquake when the building twists and you can't open any doors :angel: