False Alarm

Every now and then, I am blatantly reminded how unprepared we are for an emergency. 

For years I sat on a hospital emergency / disaster preparedness committee. 

We simulated helicopter or plane crashes. Tornadoes. Anthrax release. Something similar to the Great White concert stampede. Mass shootings.  You get the idea. 

The only times I remember going from drills to actuality was that August where one-quarter of the country lost power (2002?). And we kind of kicked it in for 9/11 - though all those hospital transfers we thought we'd be getting never materialized. 

Home preparedness is different. I mean, it's not, but it is treated a lot more casually. Well, it is here. 

Two nights ago (well, early morning), our 'fire' alarm went off. 

I say 'fire' because the new ones can detect C02. Maybe radon, but I don't think so. Anyhoo - I wasn't sure it was a fire. 

710 must have changed them because they used to talk - which I loathed. In theory it would say what the emergency was and where. BUT - it was so loud and it was tied into a series of alarms throughout the house, the verbal warnings were all staggered and talked all over each other, so you couldn't understand a word being said. 

Now, the new one(s) just blare. 

If you've ever been in a hotel when one has gone off, it is deafening - and for good reason. Hundreds of bodies in those buildings in various states of sleep or sleeping aids. Our home ones are no less loud. It scares the shit out of me. 

Especially at 04:00. 

Granted I was semi-awake, but not out of bed. Not even truly out of sleep. I jump up and out of bed - nekkid - and immediately head to leave the bedroom. 

WTF? 

I'm going into the 'fire'? Naked. Without glasses. In the dark. 

710 is clamouring to get out of bed too and I think Shep was downstairs, probably freaking out. I know I was. 

Then all of the sudden it all stops. We didn't find the detector - we never even left right outside the bedroom. It felt like it rang for 20 minutes when it was probably 20 seconds. 

What did we do?  Went back to bed. 

Again - WTF? 

We didn't check a thing to see if we were truly ok. We did nothing. 

In retrospect I was kicking myself. Later 710 said, we should make sure to grab our wallets.  WHAT?

How about Shep, shorts and eyewear. 

If truly a fire, do I have a preference if the fire brigade finds me naked or burnt to a crisp? I'll take the former. I mean, unless it is February. Shrinkage in the cold and all. 

I used to keep my glasses on my bedside table, but anymore I just throw them in the bathroom when I brush my teeth before bed. Now they're back on my bedside table. Along with my phone. As long as I can grab those on the way to find Shep, I'll be ok. 

Still, we need a plan. It seems silly to have and even practice it, but when it is even a false alarm, we need to know what we are doing. Because clearly we did not. 

Song by: the Head and the Heart