Fire

Things have been a little slow around Miss C Recommends, because of all the blogs I write for, this one pays the least. The truth is, there was a death in the family this week. My cousin’s 20 month old son died of smoke inhalation when their house burned.

It make me rethink, as everyone should, about a plan for the family in case of fire. I had gone over this with my kids, but you need a refresher course at least once a year, with a drill or two. Here’s what I told my kids.

1. If the house is on fire, your only job is to get out. DO NOT look for mama. If your sister is in the SAME ROOM, help her out. If she isn’t, DO NOT look for her. She may be already outside. Same for the cats. If they are in the same room, put them outside. Don’t try to carry them around outside. DO NOT go looking for the cats.

2. Go directly to Sherry’s house. Stay on the porch. I can see you there from here. Tell Sherry to call 911, but if she is not home, don’t worry about it, just stay there. (Sherry’s house is in sight, but far enough away to be safe)

3. Let mama worry about the fire, the car, the cats, and your sister. All you need to do is get out.

My house burned down when I was a teenager. My mom grabbed her purse, which had carkeys in it. That was the easiest thing that paid off the most, as we could move the cars out of the way. That’s the only thing I would grab after my kids and maybe the cats.

Meanwhile, put your family photos on a CD and give them to a relative who lives elsewhere. It’s the most important backup you can have. If you don’t have digital photos, start the habit of printing two copies of each picture and giving the extyras away to family members. I would also recommend a safe deposit box for deeds, savings bonds, and very important documents.

My cousin suffered the greatest loss of all. Your kids need to know what to do in case of fire.