Ring the Alarm

If I thought my hotel would catch fire at 3:30am on a Monday morning I would have taken a few seconds before nodding off to do things differently. Because when an alarm goes off in the middle of the night and a voice over a loudspeaker tells you to immediately make your way over to the closest emergency exit, your mind tends to quickly fog up like a windshield at a drive in.

So, to prove that not all Phillies fans are vomit spewing assholes, I would like to take a moment to channel my inner Fire Martial Bill and offer some info that may one day save your life.

http://www.10news.com/news/23128024/detail.html - that was my situation.

From My Own Experience:
* If you sleep sans clothing, keep an outfit close by your bed that you can jump into quickly.
* Avoid wasting precious minutes searching for you cell under your bed. Keep your essentials (wallet, blackberry, room key) in one bag that you can easily grab and run with.
* Going down 13 flights of smoky stairs will make you feel ill. Wet a washcloth or something similar to keep the toxic fumes from getting into your lungs.
* Don't be that guy who risks a domino effect of people falling down the stairs by bringing your hastily packed, oversized luggage along with you. I'm so sure those Tommy Bahamas boardshorts are worth more than my life... jerk.

Expert Advice:
* On the back of your room door there is a fire evacuation plan. Make sure you locate the two exits near your room.
* No matter how high up your room is, always use a stairwell, never take the elevator.
* If the fire is not in your room, leave if it is safe to do so. Be sure to take your room key with you in case fire blocks your escape and you need to re-enter your room.
*To check the hallway for fire, touch the door with the back of your hand to test the temperature. If the door is cool, get low to the floor, brace your shoulder against the door and open it slowly. Be ready to close it quickly if there are flames on the other side. Crawl low in the smoke to the nearest exit; the freshest air is near the floor.
*If your room door is hot, do not open it. Instead, seal the door with wet towels or sheets. Turn off the fans and air conditioners. Call the fire department to give your location. Signal from your window.

Luckily the fire at my hotel could have been a whole lot worse, a fact which makes me appreciate my life a little bit more. Hope you are never in that situation, but if you do find yourself waking up to an emergency, try to keep focused and stay safe!

I would like to dedicate this blog to the W rooftop bartenders who are out of work till the beach bar is back up and running in full force.