Emergency

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Have you ever wondered how you’d react in case of an emergency?

Like when the fire alarm starts blaring at 2am, and you’re on the 11th floor of a 55-storey apartment.

Now I know how I’d be. My heart didn’t skip a beat, and I knew exactly what my priorities were … my phones! Then bag and laptop came next.

Daughter grabbed her teddy (now THAT is priority!)

“What are we waiting for?” “Move! Move!” I felt like a drill instructor sternly ordering around my platoon of two.

“Abby, get something over your sleeping clothes!” “Let’s go! What are we waiting for?”

Then I made a crucial mistake. I ordered husband to summon the elevator to our floor, and immediately, had those two characters breathing down my neck when they chorused, “YOU DON’T TAKE THE ELEVATOR IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY!”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot!” (It’s unbelievable how we can forget things we thought we’ve always known just when we need them the most.)

Another alarm went off as we were leaving our apartment. No smoke anywhere, though. Other occupants were still gingerly peeking out of their units, as if unsure about what to do.

So down the stairwell we calmly went, me thanking heavens that we were on the 11th floor, and not somewhere waaaaay higher.

Husband: “Hurry! Hurry! We’re still in the 8th floor!”

Me: (internally crying) “Don’t remind me! My knees!”

Husband: “6th floor!”

Me: “Stop it! Not helping!”

While we were at it, I was surprised that nobody actually joined us at the stairwell. We were the only ones there, and this was supposed to be a 55-storey condominium.

When we finally made it down, we found a bunch of people (probably 20) who were already at the lobby, and the realization came to me that they actually took the elevator!

Trying not to sound judgmental here. I would have done the same thing myself. But really? Only husband and daughter remembered this all-important disaster survival basic?

So it turned out that somebody on the 12th floor was cooking chicken (yes, at 2am), and set the alarm off (exhaust didn’t work).

And the alarm sounded only in floors 11th through 14th. Apologies went around.

Me: “Well, at least we know that this place’s alarm system works.”

Husband: “Too bad somebody didn’t get to eat their fried chicken.”

Me: “First time I did cardio during the wee hours. Phew!”

Back in our rented apartment…

Me: “So who left the car key behind?”

Daughter: “PAPA!”

Going serious now, I thank God we were all safe, and nothing worse than a missed fried chicken early-morning snack happened but really, people, we need to learn more about the Dos and Don’ts during emergencies.

What we went through suggests one thing. If that were a fire drill, in that scenario, only husband and daughter would have passed/survived.

The rest of us who responded by evacuating through the elevators would have been trapped inside when electricity goes off in a real fire.

As for those who remained in their units, well , that’s another story.

_________________________________

Author’s email: [email protected]

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