What are your possessions worth?
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We had a fire drill recently at a place I go to, and my reaction surprised me. First, there was no notice that it was a drill, so I thought it might either be real or a malfunction. I wasted valuable seconds wondering if it was just a malfunction, should I really go outside, hm let me get my coat, etc. That was stupid. Fires happen fast.
According to the US Fire Administration, “In less than 30 seconds a small flame can get completely out of control and turn into a major fire. It only takes minutes for a house to fill with thick black smoke and become engulfed in flames.”
What could you do in less than 30 seconds, assuming you even noticed a fire immediately?
I’m guessing not much. I just timed it, and to walk briskly from the furthest point in our house to the front door takes approximately 8 seconds. Add in a couple more seconds to open the door, and I’m already at one-third of the time it takes for a fire to get completely out of control. If I had to break a window or exit out the side door and open our electric garage door instead, it would take longer. Those seconds don’t account for the time it would take to realize the danger, to make sure my family was out, etc. You certainly don’t have time to worry about a few pictures, or your ID. You don’t even have time to put on a pair of slippers if you’re barefoot.
So, while it’s good to prepare for emergencies, and to make your supplies easy to get to if you have to leave in a hurry, keep in mind that there are times when your possessions are worth exactly nothing. They’re just things. People are irreplaceable, and it’s good to drill on escape procedures — ones that don’t include stopping to pick up a few things.
