Grab the Baby!
Nov 22nd 2008
Suzanne EnochWhen Goddesses Fall To Earth
As most of you know, I live in Orange County, California. A week ago today, some 30,305 acres burned here. I took all these pictures from my front yard except for the last one, which I snapped at my local Costco yesterday.
I’m lucky. Other than the awful smell and the thick smoke and the falling ashes, everybody in my family came through fine. My sister, in Yorba Linda, was closest to the fire. Her husband, a sergeant at a neighboring police department, was reassigned to help 
with east Yorba Linda evacuations and looting patrols. Every Saturday night we meet at one of our houses for the tradition known as “fast food night”. Last Saturday we went to my sister’s house. Halfway through dinner her husband called and said, “I want you to get the boys into a car and take them to Suzie’s house. Now.” Five minutes later, the police cars started going up and down the streets, announcing a mandatory evacuation.
I took my nephews and their dog to my house, where a half hour later the rest of the family, cars loaded to the roof, rendezvoused. So we spent the night at my house, kids, dog, 6 lizards, 1 bearded dragon, and 2 portable fish. I think the rest of my neighborhood felt pretty safe with a police SUV parked across my driveway after my brother-in-law was relieved for the night.
Somehow my sister ended up packing everything they needed – clothes, toothbrushes, deodorant, diapers, favorite toys, family pictures, valuables, deeds, insurance papers, etc., plus all the pets. The only thing she forgot was her makeup, which to me proves that she’s a mom. All of which had me thinking: What would I have packed?
My sister informed me that I would have fried while trying to decide whether to take the Han Solo or the Aragorn statue, getting the appropriate boxes (because, you know, a large part of the figure’s value is in having the original box), then going back for Captain Jack Sparrow, Luke Skywalker, Gandalf, Wolverine, and Kermit the Frog. And their boxes.
There are things you know you take, like the insurance papers and the family photographs, computers, etc. But if you had 15 minutes, what would you make sure you had with you?
43 Comments »
43 Responses to “Grab the Baby!”
PJ on 22 Nov 2008 at 2:45 am #
First of all, I’m so grateful you and your family are all safe and didn’t lose your homes!
I’ve thought about this quite a bit since the house across the street from me burned down. If I had 15 minutes to evacuate my first priority would be the dogs. They’re most important to me. After that, aside from the items you mentioned, I’d grab my purse, camera, the heirloom drawer with the items that have been passed down through the generations, my bras (I have to travel 2 hours to buy those babies and they’re worth their weight in gold), and my autographed books (the others can be replaced).
evlqn on 22 Nov 2008 at 3:23 am #
Suzanne I am so glad you are all okay.
I remember several years ago we were camping up at Lake Piru when fires broke out and we had to evacuate. I still have pictures of the fire clouds, they are spectacular and very frightening at the same time.
If I only had 15 minutes I would make sure the kids and animals were out. Clothes for all of us, plants if possible ,because I love my plants. My dragons, especially Erin and the painting of the Dragon Queen my sister did for me. And at least 4 books, I’m not going anywhere I don’t have a book to read. My camera and as many photos as possible. I have been sending a lot of my photos to online albums so even if I lose my computer I still have the pictures.
LisaK on 22 Nov 2008 at 6:12 am #
Suzie, I’m glad nobody in your family was harmed by the fire!
First of all, I’d make sure my mum, little sister and our rabbit were safe. Then my USB-stick (which has everything I really, really need from my computer on it), my backpack and purse (stuffed full of the things I’ve got on my desk), as many books as possible and clothes. Oh, and my make-up – not because I’m vain but because I’d need my contact lenses and my whole make-up stuff is in the same bathroom cabinet as my lenses, so I could grab that, anyway. And maybe my brush because no other brush than mine is able to handle my awful hair.
cail on 22 Nov 2008 at 7:20 am #
well, i’d grab a few suitcases and stuff them with some clothes. my laptop and pc would get thrown in, without the monitor, unless i was feeling quick, my jewelry box and my file box. if i had time, some of my handmade blankets.
all my real photos are back at my parents house.
i really hope i never have to deal with a house fire. my apartment in NY had a fire in the adjacent building the first month I lived there and the smell was unbearable for months.
I’m glad your family is safe Suzie. Did their house survive?
Margaret on 22 Nov 2008 at 7:50 am #
I’m happy to hear that you, your sister and your families made it thru. I have an on-line friend who lives in Calabasas Hills. She’s a visiting nurse and has been keeping our little quilt group informed. She says the air quality is awful. I can’t imagine living with a forest fire threatening me.
I think grabbing kids & pets is a given. Like evlqn, all my photos are safe on 3-4 different web sites. Like Flickr & Photobucket. I’d hate to lose the old tintypes of my grandparents circa 1880’s. I’d take my medicines, a few books, my Bernina, a few clothes, my current knitting project. I regularly back up the computer to DVD & those can be grabbed as they are in a case. Most stuff can be replaced.
Other than the occasional tornado alert, we don’t get too much violent weather here in SE PA. I like to think, if I lived anywhere that does, I would have something packed and ready to go if needed. Probably not. We humans tend to think it will never happen to us.
How are the fires doing, Suzanne? I haven’t checked the news yet today.
Judy F on 22 Nov 2008 at 8:04 am #
WOW glad you all are safe. That has to be scary. Your sister is amazing. I would forget something.
First thing would be my cat though trying to get him may get me killed, he loves to hide. My photos, some books, clothes etc.
Reminds me I need to get my important papers all in one place
Karen Rose on 22 Nov 2008 at 8:23 am #
Suzie, I’m so glad you all are safe!!!
I’d take the family, the pets, my laptop, and my old photo albums. To be truthful, though, I don’t know where my albums are right now. We’ve been putting stuff in storage, so who knows where they ended up?
During hurricane season, I keep important papers in a plastic bag in my firebox, so that if we ever have to evacuate, they’re at hand. I also keep my books backed up on a thumb drive which I keep in my purse.
I keep meaning to back my files up using all that free space on the google gmail server, but somehow I’m paranoid about that. It’s like … where exactly IS my stuff? And who can see it while it sits on Google’s server? So I cowardly keep the important stuff on a thumbdrive.
JudyPatooty on 22 Nov 2008 at 9:30 am #
I’m so glad to hear that you and your extended family are safe!
After staying awake all night, listening to Hurricane Ike blow through Houston just outside my bedroom window this past September, I finally got the message through my thick head that I need to be better organized for the next hurricane season. My “evacuation list” is pretty short once I get past the usual important papers.
I’d pack up my kitties, Lucy & Ethel, and plenty of food for them. I’d also take those boxes of old family photos that I keep meaning to organize. I’ve got my genealogical research papers to gather up. I’d take the two watercolors that my grandfather painted.
The things I would cry the most over if they were lost would be my great-great-aunt’s maple table, and my 5-greats grandfather’s sea chest that came over from England with him in the 1820s. But they’re too big to take.
The rest of the stuff in my home is just stuff and easily replaced.
jessie on 22 Nov 2008 at 9:32 am #
I’m glad you and your family are safe!
If I had fifteen minutes, I’d pack papers and photos and clothes, like you said. I’d get the dogs and a couple of books. But the most important non-essential and non-living thing I would make sure to have is my diaries. I’ve kept one pretty regularly since sixth grade, and I would hate to lose them. Also, I would try to grab a couple of Barbie dolls that my grandmother had made dresses for.
Kathy/Cookiedough on 22 Nov 2008 at 9:53 am #
cat and clothes.
If I had more than 15, I’d grab a special painting off the wall, my jewelry
and pull my cpu from the desk.
Kathy/Cookiedough on 22 Nov 2008 at 9:56 am #
We had a blizzard blow through her last night and things are all snowy white! RCMP are telling motorists to stay off the roads so cleaning crews can get out. I’m all snuggled in fleece. Sweetums has her own pink fleece blanket.
and I just saw a woodpecker on the tree outside my window.
ooops, looked again, it’s snowing- again.
walking in a winter wonderland.
Kathy/Cookiedough on 22 Nov 2008 at 9:57 am #
here. not her!
and Suzanne, I’m glad your family is safe and sound.
cail on 22 Nov 2008 at 10:00 am #
oh Kathy, that sounds lovely. Its 25 degrees here, but no sign of snow
Julia London on 22 Nov 2008 at 10:11 am #
That is soooooo scary.
I actually have the stuff I need all in the same place. Laptop, receipts, box of important papers, box of family photos. The rest I would delight in buying new with my fat insurance check.
Okay, I wouldn’t delight in it. I would be heartbroken. But little shopping therapy would help.
I’m glad you are all okay!!
Nicole Jordan on 22 Nov 2008 at 10:14 am #
Ditto what everyone else said, Suzanne!
This happened to me several years ago… had to evacuate our neighborhood bc of a huge fire on the neighboring mountain. But I wasn’t at home, dh was. I kept calling back with more lists of things to pack in a suitcase, and the phone service was intermittant! It was a very scary day.
The most important thing was computer and current ms notes. I would have missed a lot of other things if I’d lost them, but when you’re in the middle of writing a book, it would be hard to have to reconfigure the story you thought you wanted to write.
Karen Hawkins on 22 Nov 2008 at 10:14 am #
Oh, Suzanne! So glad you and the fam are ok! That had to have been tough, to leave your home and not be sure if you’d ever come back.
I’d have to say it would be 1) live things — kids, guy, dogs, etc, 2) laptop, 3) antique inkwell collection (still in a box from where I moved two years ago, so it’d be easy to take), and — if I had time — my antique book collection. Probably wouldn’t have time to take more.
There are so many things I’d miss, though. My grandmother’s afghan, some of the jewelry my kids have bought me over the years, the Christmas decorations — personal things that are stored away and couldn’t be reached quickly. I bet it’s one of those things you don’t really realize what you’ll miss until it’s all gone.
Freshechelle on 22 Nov 2008 at 10:15 am #
It must be very frightening to be so close to disaster and know it can turn toward you in a flash. Glad you and yours are safe.
I often hear stories of people being so stunned by the warning that they grab odd things like a piece of kitchenware or something non-sentimental and very replaceable.
I’d probably try to grad photographs or something that was a gift from a family member who has passed on. Who am I kidding? I’m the one who would be walking out with a lemon zester and a broken pencil.
Suzanne Enoch on 22 Nov 2008 at 10:35 am #
First of all, my sister’s house came through just fine. Their pool was a mess, but nobody’s complaining considering how many families in the immediate area lost their homes.
And I had to chuckle at how many of us mention books as something essential to evacuate. We are definitely a group of readers. *g*
Meg on 22 Nov 2008 at 10:40 am #
Only 15 minutes? Wow, reminds me that I need to make sure all important papers are already together! Mom and her meds, pets and their food would have to be first. Then my books — deciding who stays and who goes would be rough. After that I would have to get my photo albums and the home movies that I made with my late husband. I don’t watch them a lot now but just knowing that I can hear his voice if I want to make me smile. Only then would I think about clothes; but by then my time would be up.
Suzanne, I am so glad that you and your family are safe.
Suzanne Enoch on 22 Nov 2008 at 11:02 am #
LOL, Fresh — on the lemon zester and broken pencil. That sounds like me. I’d be worried I wouldn’t have anything to write on, so I’d pack blank notebooks and mechanical pencils. Then I’d grab some dvds, because hey, no one can replace those.
Margaret on 22 Nov 2008 at 11:17 am #
I just thought of something that nobody’s mentioned outright. ID Any/all forms of it. Driver’s license, birth certificate, car registration, phone # of your insurance agent. I have everything but the birth certificate in my billfold.
One thing I do have is one of those small portable fire-proof things that I have other important things in. Like my will and my living will. I can’t think of what the thing is called. It looks like a small suitcase and I keep it under the computer desk.
I also have a copies of my will and living will wrapped in aluminum foil, put inside a ziploc baggie and stowed in the freezer part of the refrigerator. Did you know the freezer is the best place to keep important papers? I can’t remember where/when I learned that. It’s so well insulated. If you’ve ever seen a burnt fridge, you’ll see that the freezer compartment is usually in good shape.
Margaret on 22 Nov 2008 at 11:31 am #
Cail, don’t you live between Kathy and me? It snowed here all day yesterday. TG it didn’t stick to the streets and sidewalks. But it’s colder than old Billy Ned Sunday now. 12F wind chill. Brr
elsiehogarth on 22 Nov 2008 at 11:31 am #
Suzanne, glad to hear that you and everyone in family are ok and safe.
I have a metal small box that holds all the important papers, bank books, passports, birth certificates etc. so if anything happens I can grab that easily. I would then go for the pets, the photo albums and I also have a box of books that are in the closet and handy that I just can’t live without.
Claudia Dain on 22 Nov 2008 at 11:34 am #
Oh, Suzanne, I have so been there! I’m so glad that everyone is fine and that your family suffered no property damage.
As many of you know, my house burned to the ground in 1997 and we had a minute to run out of our burning house. I took my purse and a file folder in the kitchen that contains all our important documents, and that was it, DH screaming at me the whole time to just get out of the house. I just *had* to have our important papers. I’m just thankful they were near the door. We stood at the mailbox and watched our house burn.
No matter what anyone says, when you’re facing a fire, just get out. There is nothing worth losing your life over. Smoke inhalation can cause you to lose consciousness very quickly, and it’s not that the smoke is overwhelming, it’s the chemicals in the smoke. Just get out. Just flee. A photograph is not worth your life.
TerryS on 22 Nov 2008 at 11:59 am #
Evacuation for any reason is a mind numbing experience but fires always seem the very worst to me.
Thank goodness your family is all safe and thank goodness you were able to provide them a haven. Many years ago we evacuated for one of the Laguna Hills/Beach fires. To this day I keep the angels who opened their home to us in my prayers. To them it was only a minor inconvenience before we were able to return safely to our home. To us, as the commercial says, it was priceless.
In my allotted 15 minutes I would pack up people/pets along with any necessary medications or food, lockbox with important papers/id/computer backup, photos/memory box and basic clothing supplies.
In an emergency evacuation, those 15 minutes will pass as if it were 15 seconds. Much to my surprise in our experience I learned that as much as I love, value and hoard my books, the only book evacuated was the one in my purse at the time.
Suzanne Enoch on 22 Nov 2008 at 12:13 pm #
Oh, Claudia, I’d forgotten about your fire! You’re right — when it actually happens, your brain suddenly becomes very practical. When we were told to get out of my sister’s house, I thought of the boys, the stuffed animal that would make the older one feel more secure and the security blanket for the younger one, and that was it. That’s all I needed for me to leave.
Although, if I did have 15 minutes, I hope I would be able to get out at least a couple pieces of my collection.
Claudia Dain on 22 Nov 2008 at 12:40 pm #
It’s hard to know what loss will hurt the most. It’s sort of strange, how little we truly understand what means the most to us.
We had our house burglarized a couple of years before the fire (nickname: Lucky) and all the really important, expensive stuff was taken, but they also took a pewter/silver Viking ship that my mom and dad had brought back from Sweden in 1960. I grew up with that tiny memento. It couldn’t have been worth much. I certainly wouldn’t have thought to grab it in a house fire, but all these years later it’s the thing I still miss, still grieve over. It was a part of my childhood. I played with it and imagined all sorts of Viking adventures while holding it.
Now, my younger son lost his stuffed teddy-bear in the fire and he still hasn’t gotten over it. He’s 21 now and he still misses his bear. I would give anything to relive that day in 1997 just to try and grab that bear.
Claudia Dain on 22 Nov 2008 at 12:44 pm #
JudyPat, I lost my grandmother’s rock maple dining room set in my fire. It was a horrible loss! However, the antique linens that were in the buffet survived, which was my consolation prize.
Sabrina Jeffries on 22 Nov 2008 at 1:17 pm #
Suzie, glad you and your family are still safe!! Hang in there.
After years spent evacuating hurricanes in New Orleans before moving to NC, I have a very refined list of stuff to take: old family photos that aren’t yet on discs, my backup drive, my laptop, my folder of important papers, and the checkbooks. Oh, and some jewelry and our three boxes of “mementos.” Nothing else matters, really.
But I’m sure my husband’s list would be longer.
Sabrina Jeffries on 22 Nov 2008 at 1:21 pm #
You’re right about the fire, Claudia. Getting out is the important thing. With hurricanes, you have a lot more time to pick and choose. We always had a carful when we left.
Suzanne Enoch on 22 Nov 2008 at 1:44 pm #
Margaret, the fires are officially “out”, though when I went up to Costco I noticed at least 6 firetrucks in various parking lots. I know they’re still looking for hot spots and flare-ups.
My nephew was most worried about the fish in their large saltwater aquarium. We kept telling him that they would be safe in all that water – there wasn’t anything else we could do. I’d have to leave my fishies behind, too — I don’t have enough leashes. The birds could come, if I could catch the 4 in the larger cage and transfer them into the other. Only the smaller cage fits in my car.
Perrin on 22 Nov 2008 at 3:50 pm #
I am glad to your family made it out safe Suzanne. The fires just seem to get worse every year.
I live in the east San Fernando Valley a few miles away from the Sylmar fire but far enough that we didn’t need to evacuate. My family actually discussed what we should take with us if we had to leave within minutes. Important documents and pics were the top priority because everything else could be replaced. My younger brother though said if we had an extra minute he would like his Xbox saved. We have the bare essentials already complied for our earthquake kit so we would take it along.
A few days ago we did learn that my aunt’s friend at work lost her house to the fire. She lived in the mobile home park that burned Sylmar. She went to work the same day because she said she didn’t know what else to do.
Kim on 22 Nov 2008 at 4:13 pm #
Suzie–I am so relieved that you and your family are okay. Thank goodness! That would have been so scary.
Claudia–OMG! I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you’d lost your house. How sad, but I’m so glad you all survived unhurt.
15 minutes? My external hard drive (thank you, Goddesses!) because that has all my tax information on it and other important records. Our file folder with birth certificates and stuff and the dogs and cat. Everything else can be replaced.
Its time for a service announcement from Kim. Make sure you’re insured! For years we didn’t worry about getting renters insurance because we assumed it was expensive. We finally checked into it after my son’s car was vandalized. Its SO cheap! Really, it is. After our discount for having multiple policies we’re literally paying pennies per month. So, if you aren’t insured; please check into it. Even for a small policy that will just purchase you new clothes. I feel so much more at ease now. Our agent told us, “If something were to happen, and we hope it never does, you call me no matter what time it is. Even if its 3 am and I’ll be there in 30 minutes with a check for you. We’ll put you in a hotel until you can find…
Kim on 22 Nov 2008 at 4:14 pm #
other accomadations. You won’t be dependant on the Red Cross. We’ll take care of everything.” Seriously, just hearing those words made me feel safer and more at ease.
*off the soapbox*
Margaret on 22 Nov 2008 at 4:50 pm #
Thanks for the reminder about insurance, Kim. I haven’t rented since I was in my 20’s. I’m always a bit surprised when a renter has a fire and they don’t have insurance. That has got to be even more devastating. It’s good to know that renter’s insurance isn’t expensive.
If I was a landlord, I think I would require, in writing, that my renters carry insurance and be able to prove it. For their peace of mind and mine.
Claudia, I didn’t know you’d lost your home to fire. My kitchen burnt to a crisp in Dallas years ago. I could have lost the whole place if I hadn’t walked in the door at the right time. After all these years, I can still remember the noise and the smoke. And the feeling of helplessness.
evlqn on 22 Nov 2008 at 5:03 pm #
Kim, renters insurance is a must. We had it and our home was robbed while we were gone. That’s when we found out that not only should you have the insurance you need it to be “Replacement value” policy. We were sooo hosed the first time. The second time our home was robbed we were able to replace everything without taking a bath on the deal.
Claudia I am so sorry that you lost your home, you may have lost the momentos but you didn’t lose the memories.
Lisa H on 22 Nov 2008 at 6:03 pm #
Suzanne – I just got home and all I can think of is “Thank God!” you and your family are safe. I’m so glad your sister and her family had you to come to, and I think your blog is important because it illuminates what truly is important.
Yasmin on 22 Nov 2008 at 6:17 pm #
I glad all your family is safe. I live near yosemite and we had 2 fires last summer. It didnt get near to where we live but we lived in constant fear of it getting to us. First things i would get would be the pets and family then if we had time the important papers, fotos and clothes. Anything else can be replaced.
Yasmin on 22 Nov 2008 at 6:40 pm #
Suzanne- we also have a bird and what we did was to keep a supply of paper bags with holes punched into it so that we could take him with us. He has a big cage with a stand that would not fit in my little honda
Tal on 22 Nov 2008 at 7:57 pm #
My kids…everthing else replaceable…
Tal
Suzanne Enoch on 22 Nov 2008 at 8:20 pm #
Kim, yes, renters insurance would be a must for me. An apartment complex burned here, and most everybody just lost their possessions. The building’s owner had insurance, but most of his tenants didn’t.
Then there was the one guy who was supposed to move in on Saturday. He had his stuff all in his car and stood and watched his empty apartment burn down. He was a pretty happy guy.
Suzanne Enoch on 22 Nov 2008 at 8:21 pm #
Yasmin, I like the bag idea for the birds. I’ll have to keep that in mind for emergency travel.
Janae on 23 Nov 2008 at 12:08 am #
I’m here in south LA County on the coast, and I was wondering how you were doing Suzanne. I’m so glad that all is well with you and your family.
I can see my daughter trying to get us to bring all of her stuff animals (which seem to reproduce like bunnies, even though, she only has one bunny.) since there are no clear favorites. I’d have to grab my ggrandmother’s genealogy book because while it’s on the computer, there are still a couple of families in the book that I can’t link up and don’t know why they’re in the computer. I’ve a bunch of antique linens from both sides of the family that would come with me. Our family dvds would come, too, since it’s the only proof I have that my daughter used to fall asleep to Dude Looks Like a Lady as a baby. Fortunately, all our old photos are on cd, but it would be sad to lose the originals. I’d get my antique china, especially the Wedgwood. It’s a really hard pattern to find.