In a Fire, Don't Just Take the Money and Run

6 May, 2010

We all, at some point in our lives, have said to someone, "I've got some good news and some bad news. Which do you want first?" A Syracuse, New York man got some firsthand experience with this Tuesday night.

Kenneth Lamoree returned home early Tuesday morning after a very successful trip to an upstate casino. He was $3,200 richer and planned to use the money to catch up on some bills. That's the good news. Now for the bad news. A little more than an hour later a fire broke out in the two-family home he and his family share with another family. Fortunately, everyone in the house, including three children, got out without incident. The fire was so bad, however, firefighters evacuated the people from the houses on either side of Lamoree's house.

The house suffered extensive smoke, fire, and water damage, including, you guessed it, the wallet and the $3,200 inside it. There's really no moral to this story. In fact, what happened to the Lamoree family is what frequently happens in house fires.

Property gets burned, damaged, and otherwise destroyed in house fires, including wallets filled with cash. However, the Lamoree family did exactly what a family should do if a fire breaks out in their house: get everyone out of the house as quickly and safely as possible.

The things we accumulate over time can be replaced. Furniture comes and goes. Home electronics are obsolete almost the minute we bring them home. Toys and clothing are easy to replace as well. This all probably feels a little bittersweet to Lamoree, but there would be no consolation if a family member had been neglected over casino winnings.

All this brings up a couple of issues. Fireproof safes and emergency preparedness plans. Many homeowners use fireproof safes for the safe storage of important documents, as well as cash and other negotiable instruments. How you use a fireproof safe in your home is entirely up to you, but they're designed to withstand high temperatures, and excessive water typically seen in house fires.

Emergency preparedness plans are the key to survival in a house fire. It's obvious the Lamoree family knew two things. First, to get out of the house as safely and quickly as possible. Second, where the safest exits were to get them out as quickly as possible.

Creating an emergency preparedness plan for your family can make all the difference in the world when disaster strikes. Repeatedly going over exit plans, teaching your children to remain calm and cool, and instructing everyone that they have one single goal in a house fire: get out and get to safety as quickly as possible.