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icarusOkay, I might be off-line for a bit. There was a fire in my apartment building this morning.
I was in the bath, heard the alarm go off. I thought, "Oooo, that had better be a false alarm." I grabbed a towel, pulled on jeans while I was still drenched, found a random shirt and peered out the window. Kids on the first floor were jumping out of the window. This poor girl was in a baby doll and a pair of boxer shorts and was panicking as she was being handed down through the window to her boyfriend. He'd move the recylcling bin to make a step.
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wildernessguru and I got the kitty into the carry-box. I grabbed my rare Buddhist books that can't be replaced, he grabbed the emergency kit and stuffed it in his custom backpack (that also couldn't be replaced). The firetrucks pulled up. WG -- an ex-firefighter -- said, "if they're not banging on the doors and the fire's not in your apartment, you have time." So I grabbed the laptop and the external drive, slung the backpack over my shoulder, my purse over the other. He made sure he had his wallet but couldn't find his keys. I had mine.
I was in the hall -- smoke was starting to spill into the hallway -- as he came out carrying the kitty and the emergency backpack. A cluster of firefighters busted down a door at the other end of the building and a kitty came racing out, saved. More smoke poured down the hall, and a firefighter came calmly in my direction. Calm. I could tell that the fire wasn't going to engulf the entire building. As the firefighter saw my boyfriend emerge -- we were clearly leaving -- he turned back to the fire.
The smoke was getting bad and I pulled my jacket over my mouth as we took the fire escape stairs.
Outside we were probably the only fully clothed people to exit the building (though my hair was drenched and I had no underwear or socks). No one else even had a backpack, though some people had their dogs.
We headed for the car to get breakfast and to calm the cat. Though fuzzhead was holding up rather well, I thought. All three of us are good in an emergency.
Six fire engines were parked in front of our building, and the streets were cordoned off for a block in all directions. A medic van arrived as we took in the scene but it seemed to be on standby. Orange, red and white flashers everywhere, police officers redirecting traffic. A hook and ladder was extended. Several fire-fighters were on the roof, where smoke was billowing out of the Northeast corner. The same apartment that burned in 1998. I worried, but WG explained "they've broken through the roof to vent the fire, so they can get a hose in there."
Ah.
We parked in Safeway, WG bought bagels and we let the kitty wander the car and stretch his legs. Fuzz snuggled against WG but his ears were forward and he seemed fine. Then I bought some tights (underwear and socks in one) and went to work. I can check LJ and email from here.
The current status:wildernessguru spoke with the fire battalion chief and the battallion chief's assistant. The fire started on the first floor (we don't know the cause yet) and went straight up, torching three apartments. Two on the third floor, and one other that WG didn't catch. They're checking carbonmonoxide levels now. I don't think any of our stuff burned but smoke damage is very likely.
School starts tomorrow.
A nice note: The little privately owned market across the street is running tabs for people who live in the building (everyone in the building shops there and the Korean fellow who owns it knows us all). While WG stood and chatted, someone with a beard wearing nothing but pajamas asked if he could pay later for a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.
My calm is wearing off and I'm feeling a little stunned. Guess it's time for lunch.
I was in the bath, heard the alarm go off. I thought, "Oooo, that had better be a false alarm." I grabbed a towel, pulled on jeans while I was still drenched, found a random shirt and peered out the window. Kids on the first floor were jumping out of the window. This poor girl was in a baby doll and a pair of boxer shorts and was panicking as she was being handed down through the window to her boyfriend. He'd move the recylcling bin to make a step.
wildernessguru and I got the kitty into the carry-box. I grabbed my rare Buddhist books that can't be replaced, he grabbed the emergency kit and stuffed it in his custom backpack (that also couldn't be replaced). The firetrucks pulled up. WG -- an ex-firefighter -- said, "if they're not banging on the doors and the fire's not in your apartment, you have time." So I grabbed the laptop and the external drive, slung the backpack over my shoulder, my purse over the other. He made sure he had his wallet but couldn't find his keys. I had mine.I was in the hall -- smoke was starting to spill into the hallway -- as he came out carrying the kitty and the emergency backpack. A cluster of firefighters busted down a door at the other end of the building and a kitty came racing out, saved. More smoke poured down the hall, and a firefighter came calmly in my direction. Calm. I could tell that the fire wasn't going to engulf the entire building. As the firefighter saw my boyfriend emerge -- we were clearly leaving -- he turned back to the fire.
The smoke was getting bad and I pulled my jacket over my mouth as we took the fire escape stairs.
Outside we were probably the only fully clothed people to exit the building (though my hair was drenched and I had no underwear or socks). No one else even had a backpack, though some people had their dogs.
We headed for the car to get breakfast and to calm the cat. Though fuzzhead was holding up rather well, I thought. All three of us are good in an emergency.
Six fire engines were parked in front of our building, and the streets were cordoned off for a block in all directions. A medic van arrived as we took in the scene but it seemed to be on standby. Orange, red and white flashers everywhere, police officers redirecting traffic. A hook and ladder was extended. Several fire-fighters were on the roof, where smoke was billowing out of the Northeast corner. The same apartment that burned in 1998. I worried, but WG explained "they've broken through the roof to vent the fire, so they can get a hose in there."
Ah.
We parked in Safeway, WG bought bagels and we let the kitty wander the car and stretch his legs. Fuzz snuggled against WG but his ears were forward and he seemed fine. Then I bought some tights (underwear and socks in one) and went to work. I can check LJ and email from here.
The current status:
wildernessguru spoke with the fire battalion chief and the battallion chief's assistant. The fire started on the first floor (we don't know the cause yet) and went straight up, torching three apartments. Two on the third floor, and one other that WG didn't catch. They're checking carbonmonoxide levels now. I don't think any of our stuff burned but smoke damage is very likely. School starts tomorrow.
A nice note: The little privately owned market across the street is running tabs for people who live in the building (everyone in the building shops there and the Korean fellow who owns it knows us all). While WG stood and chatted, someone with a beard wearing nothing but pajamas asked if he could pay later for a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.
My calm is wearing off and I'm feeling a little stunned. Guess it's time for lunch.
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no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 07:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 07:31 pm (UTC)/me sends best wishes. ...and hopes that none of your stuff is too damaged.
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Date: 2005-09-27 07:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 07:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 07:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 07:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 08:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 08:03 pm (UTC)Hope the damage isn't too bad.
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 08:07 pm (UTC)Good news: the building is habitable, and it looks like we'll be staying there tonight (and doing a Lot of cleaning).
Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 08:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 08:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 08:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 08:30 pm (UTC)I'm amazed that you acted so organised, getting all the important things right away and staying that calm. I would probably have freaked out...
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:30 pm (UTC)I'm mostly glad we have a place to stay tonight. People at the office were very kind and offered, but it turns out the building is liveable (if rather smoky).
Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:36 pm (UTC)*now I'm rattled*
Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:38 pm (UTC)good luck settling down and settling back in!
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:39 pm (UTC)Icarus *whew*
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:46 pm (UTC)I'm so glad that smoky kitty got out, too.
We're back in our apartment, the building's habitable (though it smells like a bonfire) and WG has begun the process of cleaning.
Icarus *whew*
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:49 pm (UTC)B) They don't have time to check doorknobs.
C) They have to check for elderly people/pets passed out from smoke inhalation, so they have a sense of urgency.
D) It's hard to open doorknobs in those gloves anyways.
E) It is rather fun after all.
Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:50 pm (UTC)Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:50 pm (UTC)Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:51 pm (UTC)Thank you.
Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:52 pm (UTC)Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:53 pm (UTC)Icarus *g*
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Date: 2005-09-27 08:56 pm (UTC)Now I'm rattled. After the fact, when it's clear everything's okay. Though I have to admit I was rather surprised that the Buddhist books were my top priority after Fuzzhead. I was willing to abandon the laptop if I had to.
Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 09:01 pm (UTC)WG went on a cleaning frenzy and I had to make him stop to get lunch. I know what he was doing: mentally reassuring himself that our home was safe by "claiming it through cleaning." I told him to eat.
Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 09:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 09:07 pm (UTC)Thank god that you, WG and kitties are safe. All this,a nd school too!
*hugs from three hours away*
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Date: 2005-09-27 09:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 09:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 09:43 pm (UTC)Good luck with the cleanup, glad no one was hurt!
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Date: 2005-09-27 10:40 pm (UTC)WG and I had talked about what we would do in a disaster and we pretty much followed the plan -- except I chose the books first (I have Buddhist books that cannot be bought anywhere) before the computer.
The plan was to grab the computer. It's surprising what turns out to be important to one.
Now I'm feeling calm, if a little frazzled and tired. I think the last embers of adrenaline are burning themselves out. Whew.
I do feel that the people on the first floor panicked unnecessarily. I can't see why they went out the window.
Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 10:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 10:41 pm (UTC)Last night I was talking to the husband about what to do in case of an emergency, and after reading about your backpack and so forth made me realize that we need to fine tune our plan of action.
What were the first things you thought of grabbing? (of course besides the cat) did you think about your expensive things or sentimental things? I am just curious, because at a time of crisis we tend to be reactive more than proactive.
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Date: 2005-09-27 11:10 pm (UTC)*hugs*
B
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Date: 2005-09-27 11:18 pm (UTC)Specifically, I'd get Monte into the cat carrier, he'd grab the survival kit. Then I'd get the laptop while he carried the kitty carrier.
Neither of us grabbed sentimental things.
But I never considered the irreplaceable Buddhist books (they're not just out of print, you literally cannot get them if you aren't present for the teachings), and he never considered his custom backpack.
We're adjusting our plan to include these things which we obviously valued. And I'm changing where I have my books so the essential ones are easy to grab.
Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 11:22 pm (UTC)Icarus
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Date: 2005-09-27 11:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-27 11:44 pm (UTC)*hugs to you all!*
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Date: 2005-09-28 12:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-28 02:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-28 02:51 am (UTC)I am just thankful you got out.
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Date: 2005-09-28 03:31 am (UTC)Try to sleep easily tonight.
Must think some more about my emergency exit plan - an advantage I hadn't considered to having a laptop.
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Date: 2005-09-28 04:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 04:31 am (UTC)ok, so i read this one second, and it's good that none of your stuff got damaged..well, nothing incredibly important..so.. yeah...