Wake up call

[moosmom]

Well, this morning at about 3 a.m. I got a wake-up call. I got up to go to the bathroom and smelled something burning, like burnt popcorn. Made me nauseous. It was coming from the back hallway. I went down to the 2nd floor tenant and banged on his door, since it seemed to be coming from HIS apartment (there are only 3 tenants in the whole building, I'm on the top floor). It seems that he was cooking something on the stove and fell asleep!!! First thing I did was call my insurance agent to inquire about tenants insurance.

I'm still a little scared because, God forbid something should happen and I have to exit quickly. Does anyone have an escape plan for their cats? I don't know what I'd do if there was a fire here and I had to exit the building in a hurry. I've got all my cat carriers stacked in the kitty room just in case.

Just the thought of a fire makes me shake!!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

About 6 months after I moved to Chicago, the fire alarm went off in our building (HUGE building, probably 3,000 people it it, I lived on the 3rd floor). It was a Saturday morning so thank goodness I was home. Very first thing I did was throw Peanut in her carrier and put Tubby's leash on. I also grabbed a pillow case and put it on top of the carrier. The pillow case was just in case Tubby wouldn't cooperate and stay in my arms, I could throw him in the pillow case to keep him confined. I'm sure he wouldn't have been happy about it, but it would have been better than trying to carry the carrier and fight with him to get him outside or down the stairs or whatever. After my initial panic and getting them ready to go, I did what they teach you, feel the door to see if it's hot. It wasn't so I opened it and polked my head out. There was smoke in the hall, but not too bad, and one of the maintenance guys was opening the fire door (which was right next to my door so I would have had an easy way out - whew!) and he said that someone down the hall had left a burner on on her stove and forgot about it, then left a towel lay on it (electric stove). So everything was under control by the time I poked my head out, but it was really kind of scary. I learned a few things though, like where the fire escape door was (how had I not noticed it before since it was right there? ), where the emergency lights were, what the smoke alarm sounded like, and most importantly, what I would do with the kitties in a panic situation - since that was what it was for me until I found out differently.

I used this technique one other time, and that was when the emergency sirens went off warning of a tornado. I was in a smaller building - but again on the 3rd floor. I packed up the kitties - and this time I did put Tubby in the pillow case because I couldn't find his leash soon enough. We ran to a friend's apartment in the basement, and spent about an hour or two down there.

Might not be the best plan, but it worked for me.

My biggest word of advice is to not let the kitties know that it is a panic situation. Otherwise - like Peanut - they might run and hide and you will spend precious moments trying to find them and dragging them out of their hiding place. As calmly as possible, get them all in their carriers and get the carriers and yourself out the door and away from danger - which might entail asking a neighbor to help carry if you have more than two.

Also, as awful as it sounds, you have to think of yourself first. If you are hurt in whatever danger there is, there will be no one to take care of the kitties, so make sure you are safe first, and make sure you have time to worry about the kitties. It would be awful if you lost one or more in a fire, but it would be much worse if you were lost too.

I really hope that no one ever has to use their emergency procedures, but it is always best to have some sort of plan in mind before the situation arises.

[PayItForward]

This post is very scary.

In fact we only have 2 carriers for three cats (Not needed to take them somewhere at the same time, yet), I might buy another carrier.

[moosmom]

Thanks for the lesson! I have 4 carriers for 7 cats. I can put 2 or 3 girls in one carrier if I HAVE to. I found out that tenant's insurance is only $158 a year. That's for replacement value. Pretty cheap considering the alternative.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Wow! Scary! I don't know what I would do because Willow is so jittery the way it is, and the cats and the dog don't get along so well. Happy everything is okay.

~The Gang~

[primabella]

I don't know what I would do with the birds. I guess just grab tha cage and run. Mickey would be easy to take. Just grab him in your arms and run. Kind of the same plan but if it works

Funny story that can *kinda* relate. One night, I put in some baget and cooked it in the microwave for 20 seconds just to make it warm and ate it. My sister wanted some too so she asked how long I had put it in for. I was online and typing something up so I wasn't paying attention. She asked how long I put it in for and I said "20" she said, "20 what? minutes?" and I was like "Yeah, minutes"

Next thing you know, smoke's comming out of the microwave and it smelled like fire. The bread was black and the house was filling with this toxic smelling smoke. Anyone ever near that kind os smoke? It literally chokes you. The whole thing was my fault--my bad hehe

[HoRsELUvR]

I hope that you dont have to escape quickly,but keeping your cat arriers on hand is a good idea.And make sure to always be alert.

[jenluckenbach]

I know I'd never make it with all the cats. And the thought makes me sick. I have enough carriers but the cats that scare easily would probably run out of reach. Besides, how would one (or two) people be able to carry all those carriers). And the mice......that would be another concern. I just try not to dwell on the thought and hope in an emergencey everything runs a smoothly as possible. what more can a person do?

[gini]

What a frightening thing to have happen and thank goodness you woke up and could smell the problem immediately.

How well do you know your other tenants? If possible, get to know them a bit better and in case of an emergency hopefully they could help YOU with the cats.

I can understand that in an emergency situation it isn't always easy to be cool headed. I guess I would pile the cats in the carriers as rapidly as possible and ask for help immediately.

For some reason having a some wet towels to put around the carriers - or at best one on top.....to keep the smoke away comes to my mind.

I sure am sorry you had to deal with this, but as you said it is a wake up call - and makes you think about what to do in an emergency - and also about insurance.

The person below you is pretty lucky you alerted him/her in time!

[marysmerrycats]

first make sure you have a good electric AND battery operated smoke/carbon dioxide detector. then have your carriers ready like you mentioned. then all you can do is grab them and get out, and if they are not willing , you just have to force them, whatever the consequensce, and Im sure they would scratch you, but thats better than the alternative.
a few years ago my smoke alarm went off, I was sleeping, and I had forgot to blow out a candle and it burned down and caught a t-shirt on fire! I ran downstairs and luckily it was still pretty small, so I was able to put it out or I would have just got out! I didnt have pets then. now I have a extinguisor! you might want to have a few of them around. and tell that moron to pay attention, there are other residents other than him!

I have also wondered about things like that , from time to time... and wondered how I would get them out. well the other day I wanted to get one of the new cats in to the carrier to take to my room, and he turned wild on me, I grabbed him by the scruff and put him in the cage. so I was kind of proud I had got that done, no more hesitatinig, now I know I can do that.

Donna have you talked to your landlord? there should be a smoke detector in each house, each floor, and he should install them as owner... that had to be very scary for you!

also... if you can't get down the stairs, get one of those ladders, , I don't know what they are made out of, but like sturdy rope, ladders, and you can climb down them from a window... and for the cats, you would have to have a rope tied to the carriers so you could lower them to the ground. its such a scary thought!

[ramanth]

How frightening!

Since the door to my apartment leads outdoors, I just keep in mind where the carrier is and Kia's leash is.

Not sure what I would do with a tornado since I'm on the second floor of an apartment.

Probably pray.

[moosmom]

Mary,

I haven't said anything to my landlord. We do have fire extinguishers all over the building as well as smoke detectors in the place too. The smoke detectors didn't go off because there really wansn't any smoke that I could see, only that disgusting burnt smell.

I think you've got a point there with the ladder. There are 2 exits in my apartment. I just pray that nothing like that ever happens again. I want to let my landlord know but don't want to piss anyone off.

I'm just glad it wasn't anything serious.

Don't feel bad about the candle, Mary. I did the same exact thing the other night. I fell asleep with a candle burning next to Casey's picture. I woke up the next morning (fortunately it didn't catch anything on fire but was STILL burning!!) to the smell of "birthday cake" scent. I realized then how lucky I was and what COULD'VE happened.