Hotel Fire

Even that phrase sends shivers up my spine. So many people in one place...there's huge potential for mass destruction. Unfortunately, I got to experience a little of it.

Yesterday morning, I woke up to find that one of our reps here in VA was left behind at the hotel by accident. So, of course, being the nice person (i.e. pushover) that I am, I drove him to the office.

When I got back, I pulled up to find EIGHT fire trucks blocking all the entrances to our hotel, firemen running around, water hoses out, and water and smoke everywhere. Keep in mind, when I took Pat to the office, I left Ryan with my friend Jen and her 6 1/2 month old in our hotel room.

I couldn't get into the hotel parking lot, so I parked on the street, ran around trying to find Jen and the babies...only to find that they weren't outside. Yeah...they were still in the room.

So...I freaked out. Hardcore. I yelled at the fireman who was closest to me. Apparently yelled so much and so loud that they called the cops on me. lol I think the cop was just there to make sure I didn't start swinging, but basically I was yelling at the fireman that Jen has arthritis and can't physically carry both babies out. They kept saying that she was safe on the first floor because the fire was on the third floor. Bullshit. I have issues with that statement. But they also wouldn't let me go in to get her and the babies. So...she's safe to stay, but I'm not safe to go to the same room and come right back out???? Whatever.

Basically, the fireman backed off and told me that they had the fire contained and that they would be rolling out as soon as they got the all-clear. He promised me that if they weren't done in 5 minutes, that he would go in and get Jen and the babies. Well, 2 minutes later they got the all-clear, so I got to go back in.

Sheesh. It wasn't even that bad of a fire, but imagine pulling up on a place where your baby is, and it's on fire, there are 8 fire trucks, and it's obvious that fire hoses are inside the building...yeah.