I'd like to ask everyone to send good thoughts and prayers to our blogpal Lisa J. Cohen; she and her family are dealing with the aftermath of a house fire. Her husband has pictures posted on Flickr here of the terrible damage it caused. One great blessing is that they were able to get out of the house in time.
Each year during the holiday season fires kill 400+ people, injure 1,650 more, and cause over $990 million in damage.* Houses can be rebuilt and possessions replaced, but fire-related injuries are often devastating, and lives lost to fire are simply gone forever.
So: if you didn't put fresh batteries in your smoke detectors back when the time changed, please do it today. If you don't have smoke detectors in your home, please buy and install some now. Also, make sure you have an escape plan to get out in the event of a fire, and talk to your kids about it.
*Stats are from USFA's article A Season for Sharing in Fire Safety, which is also something you should read when you get a chance.
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Consider it done. What do they need? Can we send anything?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dawn. I've e-mailed Lisa and left a note on her blog, letting her know her online friends want to help, and as soon as I hear more I'll let everyone know.
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrible thing to happen, but good that no-one got injured. Somehow such things seem extra bad around this time of the year. Sending good thoughts.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely praying. Glad everyone is physically OK.
ReplyDeleteOh, Lynn, thank you so much. But damn, I had just stopped crying then I see this post.
ReplyDeleteWe're holding it together and our insurance company has been absolutely amazing. We were well insured, so much of what we lost will be replaced. Mostly right now, I am sad about not having our photos/artwork on the walls and we have no books in the apartment.
They are going to pack up all our bookcases (and that *is* a job) and put our books in a room with an ozone generator to see what can be salvaged.
My first order of business, after we inventory the house, is to get to a bookstore. For a writer, a house just isn't a home without them.
The hardest part of all of this is the emotional exhaustion. I'm trying to take is slowly and be gentle to myself.
Again, my thanks for your kindness and your support.
Best,
Lisa
ps--thank you for reminding people to check smoke detectors. They work. I'm proof of that.
Lisa, you are an incredible lady, and now I'm starting to tear up. Thank you for stopping in and giving us an update, and know that we're thinking of you.
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