# In A Real Fire Emergency **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 8, 2014, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840 "2014-09-08T07:51:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![regularshow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@regularshow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/regularshow)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/1 "2014-09-08T07:51:45Z")
Say you are alone at your place in a fire emergency where a blazing fire is in the kitchen… Would you take more than your wallet or purse out with you? Like what else would you escape out the fire emergency with? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/2 "2014-09-08T08:02:46Z")
I’d take my cell phone. I’d take my dog. I value him over any mere possessions. I’d grab his leash, head to the garage, get in the car with him, back out of my driveway, then call 911. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/3 "2014-09-08T14:28:24Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, **regularshow**. Threads like this, where you’re taking a poll/asking opinions, belong in our IMHO forum, so I have move this there for you (from MPSIMS). ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/4 "2014-09-08T14:33:59Z")
My Kitchen is a long way from the master bedroom. I could get a lot of stuff out. I’m not sure what I care enough about to risk it though. My photo albums are probably the only items that can’t be replaced. No sense hanging around just to save the insurance company some money. If he dogs and all the people are out, and I have my wallet and my phone, I’m good. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/5 "2014-09-08T14:58:05Z")
One of the “tricks” we have taught our dogs is rushing outside in response to the command, “outside”. It is impressive to see. I yell, “outside” and all three dogs race for whichever door I’m near. Once out, they sit/stay awaiting their reward. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/6 "2014-09-08T15:04:21Z")
Assuming that using the fire extinguisher under the kitchen sink doesn’t work… 1. grab purse and cell phone; 2. open can of tuna fish 3. herd cats into car using can of tuna fish as bait. 4. call 911 from car. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/7 "2014-09-08T15:11:33Z")
You’ve made me think about something I had never considered. I now realize the things I would really need are spread willy nilly all about the house. Passport, ID, bank book, bank card, all in different places! Yikes! And then there is that false book in the library where all the cash is stashed! 🙂 He claims he’s fine with losing it in a fire, but I’ll be he grabs that before his prescription drugs! ---
**Author:** ![iljitsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@iljitsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iljitsch)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/8 "2014-09-08T19:59:57Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > You’ve made me think about something I had never considered. I now realize the things I would really need are spread willy nilly all about the house. Passport, ID, bank book, bank card, all in different places! Yikes! After having been hauled off to the hospital unexpectedly last year, I decided to pack an evacuation bag. The idea is that this bag has everything I need if I have to leave the house immediately, be it because of a fire, evacuation order or a medical emergency. The most important things that it holds: - a change of clothes - slippers that can be worn with socks - toiletries, including sunscreen - passport, credit card, cash, extra set of keys - insurance information, pen/pencil and paper - flashlight - phone charger + cable, extra headphones - old backup phone I also keep my backup drive in that bag so if I don’t get a chance to grab my computer, at least I have a fairly recent backup. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/9 "2014-09-08T20:12:21Z")
_Really_ important documents - passports, home/car titles, birth certs, etc. - are kept in a fireproof safe in the basement, along with recent DVD-ROM backups of computer files. If a fire starts in the kitchen, either I or the FD will put it out before it spreads _down_ into the basement. If a fire breaks out, and I have time to grab **one** armful of stuff, it’d be the hardcopy photo album from when I was a kid (I have JPG scans of all pictures taken since I was ~15 years old, and those are on the DVDs in the safe). Everything else in the house is replaceable, or does not have major personal/emotional significance, or is just too damn big to carry out in a hurry. If I have time for a second armful of stuff, it’d be the tax documents (business receipts, etc.) whose absence would sorely complicate next year’s income tax return. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/10 "2014-09-08T21:56:07Z")
Happened to me one time. I was woken out of bed by a fireman at my door telling me my apartment building was on fire. After checking to make sure the fire wasn’t in my immediate area, I took time to put on pants, shirt, and shoes before leaving my apartment. I live alone and don’t have pets so there were no other lives involved. I didn’t bother trying to figure out what personal possessions I should take with me. As it turned out, they were able to extinguish the fire before it reached my apartment. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/11 "2014-09-08T22:02:37Z")
I’ve experienced a fire, I mentioned it here on the board. The only reason I had my wallet is that I hadn’t yet gotten undressed for bed. ---
**Author:** ![Whatever4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@Whatever4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whatever4)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/12 "2014-09-09T00:51:16Z")
Live dog. Dead dog’s ashes and picture. Meds. Fanny pack/purse. Everything else is just stuff. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/13 "2014-09-09T02:42:03Z")
I just died in the fire, sitting here trying to think of what to grab. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/14 "2014-09-09T02:52:02Z")
Photo albums? WTF? This is a zombie thread from like, 1970 right? Before computers? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/15 "2014-09-09T02:54:36Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#): > > Photo albums? WTF? > > This is a zombie thread from like, 1970 right? Before computers? Are you aware that we had technology for taking pictures that predates computers and cellphones? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/16 "2014-09-09T02:55:28Z")
Assuming my kids and husband are not home or otherwise safe…nothing, really. The cats aren’t worth my life trying to extricate them from wherever they’d be hiding. Probably my laptop, because being holed up in some Red Cross funded hotel room for however many days would rather suck without being able to whine to y’all about it. I don’t own anything of monetary value, and all the sentimental stuff was left with my ex husband when I left him. I have lots of Stuff (somehow) but nothing that can’t be replaced that I would miss. In fact I get something of a sense of relief thinking of all this useless clutter being burned to the ground so I can start fresh. How sick is that? My most valued “possession” is The SDMB. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/17 "2014-09-09T03:03:33Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Are you aware that we had technology for taking pictures that predates computers and cellphones? Are you aware that we had technology for scanning pictures since… well I had a scanner in the mid '90s, I dunno exactly when they became available. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/18 "2014-09-09T03:28:08Z")
Passport, laptops, wallet. That’s it. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/19 "2014-09-09T04:18:42Z")
I grab my neck pouch from the drawer, my messenger bag, stuff the backup hard drive, medicine bag and laptop into the laptop backpack, hang on my wheelchair put shoes on and roll. My passport and spare cash are in the neck pouch, my everyday carry stuff [ID, plastic, military ID, CCL, drivers license and whatnot, copy of prescriptions] my sidearm and bundle of assorted keys are in/on my messenger bag and I keep a bailout bag of assorted clothing in the momvan for random cases of needing to go to the hospital. Hopefully mrAru would be home to grab the cat, I don’t think I could manage her alone =( Poor pudgy old thing … arthritic and I think she is starting to go blind =( ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840/20 "2014-09-09T14:14:01Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Are you aware that we had technology for taking pictures that predates computers and cellphones? Yeah, some people like their recipes on index cards, too. There is life away from the screen. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-real-fire-emergency/697840.md?page=2)