I live in an apartment on the second floor and at 4:00 am this morning I was awakened by sirens and pounding on doors. I got up to look and see what was going on and a knock immediately came to my door. I opened and it was a fire fighter yelling, "Get out, your apartment is on fire!" and smoke was billowing in through the doorway.
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I sleep only in undies and a t-shirt but blessedly my bottoms and slippers were next to my bed so I was able to retrieve them quickly. However, I ended up wasting precious time grabbing eyeglasses in one place, wallet and keys in another place, purse with address book in yet another place and my kitty hiding under the bed.
I was able to round up the material items while fire fighter helped rescue the kitty in just over a minute but in hindsight I have come to realize that all important articles should be in one spot near the door at all times because even a few seconds, when there's smoke and fire, can be a matter of life and death. Had my items all been in one spot near the door, all I would have had to do was grab my precious kitty and then the purse with everything in it on the way out the door.
Some people wouldn't even open their doors to the fire fighters and they had to bust the doors down and make them get out. Just grab what you have to, or can, and get out!
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My apartment ended up being saved and okay but seven others were damaged and two completely.
I will close this letter with a smile. I had put my sweat pants on backwards. ;-)
Being prepared for a fire. Have a plan.
