I wrote this article for another site last year. I decided that it was important enough to bring it to Gather.
It was on this day five years ago that I lost one of my best friends in a tragic fire. Also killed was her husband and the next door neighbors; a young couple and their 8 month old baby girl. My friend was known by many as Grandma Jean. She was the sweetest lady you could ever meet. She hugged almost everyone she came in contact with. She was like a second mother to me. I miss her very much. So in honor of her, I would like to urge all of you to check your smoke alarms and make sure they work. If you don't have one, please go get one. If you smoke or like candles, please be careful. Also make sure all doors and windows are working properly. It will be hard to get out of them with all the smoke and chaos of a fire. My friend died due to careless smoking, they believe the husband was smoking and had a stroke. Also the smoke alarms were not working properly and they had trouble with the back door. The neighbors were found huddled together by the back door. They couldn't get it open. They had reported it to the building manager a week before the fire but nobody had fixed it. Please don't think it won't happen to you. Be safe. I love you Grandma Jean!
If anyone has any fire safety tips they want to share, please do.
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More by Brenda (square peg in a round hole) H. |
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Comments: 38
we experienced a fire a few years back, the detectors warned us of the smoke..we got the fire dept. here fast, minimal damage no loss of life...a couple of freaked out dogs and cats...we had to put them in the cars for their safety until the firemen were done...
Also another good thing to remember your children are never to young to learn about fire safety. I take my boys to the local fire department a few times a year to let them talk to the fireman. Also I have my cousins husband talk to them, hes been a fireman for about 10 or 11 years. I make them put there shirt over there faces and crawl around the house. I ask them all the time where is our family meeting place. At 4 & 6 y/o they both know. They also know when they get there to knock on the door and to let the neighbor know there is a fire.
I have to take my shoes off too...which isn't too bad...ask Grandma Penguin..I was running around barefooted Saturday afternoon...but it was like 60º
about candle,, we have a candle burner(that melt the candle) in every room we can use,, no candle burning is allowed.
<3
Great post! My heart goes out to you.
This made me emotional and I feel so sorry about your loss..I can understand your feelings...
well, take care
very tragic.
When I was 8, a girl I knew died in a house fire. The couch caught on fire and her parents dragged it outside and put out the fire. There was a lake behind their house too. But the fire wasn't out and it smoldered during the night and spread to the house. Only one parent and one child jumped out of the window and survived, all the other children and the other parent perished. It really brought home to me how life can be so short and it wasn't just adults who died.
yes, we will check out smoke detectors... thanks... God bless you and yours...