Yesterday when the fire alarm went off in my condo building I did what 99% of the other homeowners did. Opened my front door, looked up and down the hallway and then figured it's just the usual test of the fire system. Within a minute the alarm stopped but instead of silence a voice came over the system announcing "this is not a test, please evacuate the building, do not use the elevators, evacuate the building using the stairs, this is not a test, evacuate the building."
With my heart racing I started looking around my condo wondering what I should take. The kitty cat? The computer? The phone? The keys? My files? Then I remembered my important papers and irreplaceable family photos were stored on-line in a safe location. My client files are all stored on-line as well. No need to worry about trying to wrestle with heavy boxes full of files and photos. Instead I could put on my shoes, grab keys, my laptop, the very unhappy kitty and head toward the stairs.
In the scheme of the disasters around the world in the last few months a fire alarm is small potatoes but it was a gentle reminder that being prepared and knowing what to take when an emergency strikes is key. Planning ahead and making sure your important documents are backed up and stored in another location will make the decision of what to take when you need to make a quick exit much easier.
Fortunately for everyone in the building made a safe exit. The Prince William County Fire department was on scene within minutes and we were able to return to our condos in just over an hour. Do you have your emergency plan in place and ready to go?
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