Reflections on returning to a potentially burning building
Fire alarm in our building. Evacuated. Then saw what looked like smoke from relatively controlled fire on my floor. Feared people still in the building, maybe someone had an accident while something on the stove now smoldering at preventable stage. I didn't want our stuff to burn or be water damaged by sprinklers if it was preventable and I hated the idea that it might be a little old lady fallen with a broken hip in her kitchen.
Felt calm, but alert and a little bit scared as I ran back in, ready to flee at first sign of smoke or flame, knowing once it went it would go fast. I was in synthetic clothes and toxic gasses from contemporary living burning can kill you extra fast. Couldn't smell smoke, though my vision was a little adrenaline fogged. Hammered on doors. One apartment still occupied, I told them it was a fire alarm, they seemed surprised. I told them I'd seen something that looked like smoke in the apartment next to them. Went outside around on balcony to suspect window (it's a wide balcony). Couldn't see stuff going on. Shouted out to crowd below for direction to correct window. Probably steam from pot given I couldn't see up close - strangely could only be seen through the window from a distance. Decided breaking window unnecessary, if it was fire there would be more illumination. Banged on doors on my floor again to make sure folks were out. Then went back outside.
The streetlights in the dark reminded me of when Canberra was burning. Many neighbors with dogs. Family I saw inside I could not see outside, but at least I knew they were unaccounted for. Figured if it was a fire more would be ablaze by now. Mentally composed a fast description of what I knew as if the firebrigade turned up. If they wanted information the more succinct the better. Chatted to some nice folks with their cat in a carry bag. Only cat I saw, either low cat ownership, low cat ownership at home or people not evacuating their cats. People should practice evacuating their animals - they can be tricky and it's not always possible... but it can help avoid a lot of heartache.
Some kid set off the alarm at the pizza shop downstairs. Home now. I hate that there were people still in the building when I went back in. I hate that I hadn't checked. If there's another fire alarm I might be a bitch banging on all the doors. It was a false alarm, but a handy test. If the fire brigade ever comes to my building I want to be able to tell them every door has been banged on... and hope anyone with hearing impairment has another alert system.
Felt fine, if slightly disassociated until I got home. Thought about how I'd gone back inside a building that potentially had bits on fire. Felt a little bit rattled. Feel better now. Reminds me of being a kid in bushfire country. Quite bothered by all the synthetic clothing I had on. I don't own a wool jumper/sweater anymore. I like wool jumpers, in fire country it's good to have one with a tight weave that lives near the front door.
False alarms are interesting teaching experiences. Maybe I take things too seriously. I spent a year working with the community sector around emergency preparedness after the Canberra fires. I've read too many case studies, spoken to too many people who have lost something to fire. I guess I'm hyper-vigilant because some people have ignorance as an excuse and I don't. My performance was on the risky side of adequate, there are things I could do better next time. It was interesting practice.
Anyhow, that was my evening. I still have another 100 words to write to fulfill my quota (blogging doesn't count). Hopefully I won't let this induce procrastination.
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I should add, I made a risk assessment looking at the quantity of smoke/steam and let people know I was going back into the building. I decided based on fire suppression systems in the building, the quality of the smoke/steam, my sense of smell and preparedness to flee (and ability to flee down two different escape routes) that while there was a real risk it was a relatively low risk that I was going to try to be as clear headed about as possible.
Felt calm, but alert and a little bit scared as I ran back in, ready to flee at first sign of smoke or flame, knowing once it went it would go fast. I was in synthetic clothes and toxic gasses from contemporary living burning can kill you extra fast. Couldn't smell smoke, though my vision was a little adrenaline fogged. Hammered on doors. One apartment still occupied, I told them it was a fire alarm, they seemed surprised. I told them I'd seen something that looked like smoke in the apartment next to them. Went outside around on balcony to suspect window (it's a wide balcony). Couldn't see stuff going on. Shouted out to crowd below for direction to correct window. Probably steam from pot given I couldn't see up close - strangely could only be seen through the window from a distance. Decided breaking window unnecessary, if it was fire there would be more illumination. Banged on doors on my floor again to make sure folks were out. Then went back outside.
The streetlights in the dark reminded me of when Canberra was burning. Many neighbors with dogs. Family I saw inside I could not see outside, but at least I knew they were unaccounted for. Figured if it was a fire more would be ablaze by now. Mentally composed a fast description of what I knew as if the firebrigade turned up. If they wanted information the more succinct the better. Chatted to some nice folks with their cat in a carry bag. Only cat I saw, either low cat ownership, low cat ownership at home or people not evacuating their cats. People should practice evacuating their animals - they can be tricky and it's not always possible... but it can help avoid a lot of heartache.
Some kid set off the alarm at the pizza shop downstairs. Home now. I hate that there were people still in the building when I went back in. I hate that I hadn't checked. If there's another fire alarm I might be a bitch banging on all the doors. It was a false alarm, but a handy test. If the fire brigade ever comes to my building I want to be able to tell them every door has been banged on... and hope anyone with hearing impairment has another alert system.
Felt fine, if slightly disassociated until I got home. Thought about how I'd gone back inside a building that potentially had bits on fire. Felt a little bit rattled. Feel better now. Reminds me of being a kid in bushfire country. Quite bothered by all the synthetic clothing I had on. I don't own a wool jumper/sweater anymore. I like wool jumpers, in fire country it's good to have one with a tight weave that lives near the front door.
False alarms are interesting teaching experiences. Maybe I take things too seriously. I spent a year working with the community sector around emergency preparedness after the Canberra fires. I've read too many case studies, spoken to too many people who have lost something to fire. I guess I'm hyper-vigilant because some people have ignorance as an excuse and I don't. My performance was on the risky side of adequate, there are things I could do better next time. It was interesting practice.
Anyhow, that was my evening. I still have another 100 words to write to fulfill my quota (blogging doesn't count). Hopefully I won't let this induce procrastination.
---
I should add, I made a risk assessment looking at the quantity of smoke/steam and let people know I was going back into the building. I decided based on fire suppression systems in the building, the quality of the smoke/steam, my sense of smell and preparedness to flee (and ability to flee down two different escape routes) that while there was a real risk it was a relatively low risk that I was going to try to be as clear headed about as possible.