Survey question: What do you grab when your fire alarm goes off?

[kestrell]

We have these *really* sensitive fire alarms, which go off not only at the first sign of smoke--as in, someone is cooking steaks on the stove--but also for all sorts of mystery things. Case in point: approximately at 9:45 this morning, with no trace of smoke, leaving housemates--half of them woken up against their will and *really* not morning people--guessing at what they should be looking for to *MAKE THAT NOISE STOP*. (Did I mention, our alarms also announce "Fire Fire Fire" in a calm but firm female voice every few seconds?).

So I'm standing there taking guesses at what might have set off the alarms, but what I think really set off the alarms is the 91% humidity because yes, if your alarm setting is very sensitive, the water content in the air can set it off.

Anyway, because our alarms go off so often without it being a real fire, I have gotten really good at deciding what I consider the essentials to grab in case of fire. These are: phone, wallet, ebook reader, and Coke. If it comes right down to it, it's the housekey with my mini-Leatherman tool on it, wallet, ebook reader, and a Coke. Note: I usually have one or two unopened bottles of Coke in my room, so I don't lose time in grabbing these on my way out of the aerye. Also, I hadn't seen Alexx emerge from his room, so I opened his door and checked that he was awake and moving.

This makes me curious what other people consider the important things to grab in case of emergency evacuation: your laptop? a favorite book or musical instrument? a significant momento?

Comments

[jesse_the_k]

Yikes.

That I've never considered what I'd take proves I've lived a placid-to-the-point-of-boring life.

[cvirtue]

Much the same: wallet, phone, keys, household mammals.

Second tier:
Meds, laptop, chargers.

After that, we’re in the “slow moving disaster” zone where one might have time for triage. This could involve grabbing camping gear, for example, so we could sleep on the lawn. Food. That kind of thing.

[writerkit]

Laptop, phone, meds (or at least the week's pill organizer), purse, favored stuffed animal.

[kestrell]

Omigosh, my gothic plushies! Now I'm going to be trying to decide which I should grab: the tanuki, definitely, but the walluf is about three feet long, and doubles as a pillow.

[alexxkay]

When you checked on me, I was in the process of picking up both phones and my tablet. I quickly considered grabbing some other things, but opted not to.

[komadori]

For me, it would be laptop, phone, pets, and the backpack with my wallet if I remember it.