March 4th- In honor of a good friend
By brendalee
@brendalee (6082)
United States
March 4, 2007 12:22am CST
It was on this day four years ago that I lost one of my best friends in a tragic fire. Also killed was her husband and the next door neighbors; a young couple and their 8 month old baby girl. My freind was known by many as Grandma Jean. She was the sweetest lady you could ever meet. She hugged alomst everyone she came in contact with. She was like a second mother to me. I miss her. So in honor of her, I would like to urge all mylotters to check their smoke alarms and make sure they work. If you don't have one, please go get one. If you smoke or like candles, please be careful. Also make sure all doors and windows are working properly. It will be hard to get out of them with all the smoke and chaos of a fire. My friend died due to smoking, they believe the husband was smoking and had a stroke. Also the smoke alarms were not working properly and they had trouble with the back door. The neighbors were found huddled by the back door. They couldn't get it open. They had reported it to the building manager a week before the fire but nobody had fixed it. Please don't think it won't happen to you. Be safe. I love you Grandma Jean!
13 people like this
24 responses
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
4 Mar 07
This is very sad.
We have 5 smoke alarms. I come from a firebrigade family, so I am used to checking fure safety, etc.
Also, it is important to keep a key in the lock of your front or back door at night, so you are not fiddling around looking for keys, trying to get the door open in the dark.This will not encourage robbers. If robbers break in, they are in regardless of a key inside. Better that robbers can get out quickly.
Another nice way to honour thos lovely lady, and her family and neigbours, is to plant a rose bush to remember them.
2 people like this
@xeonkar007 (366)
• India
5 Mar 07
i agree with you very much, i think nowadays it should be the normal standards for safety against fire.
yes but that's a sad reality that people make this mistake.
planting trees will be a nice idea.
thanks a lot for all this
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
4 Mar 07
I am so sorry for the loss of your dear friend. It is a great idea for everyone to check their smoke alarms. I am almost phobic at times about candles, checking the coffee pot, stove, heater, etc. You are correct to say that people think it won't happen to them. It does and it can. Better to be on the safe side. I appreciate that you posted this as a reminder. Again I am so sorry for your loss.
@p3halliwel2005 (3156)
• Philippines
5 Mar 07
Oh this is such a sad story...I am sorry for your loss...and thanks for the warning.
@marymarj2002 (1769)
• Philippines
5 Mar 07
I am sorry to hear about your friend. I hope she now rests in peace and she is happy where she is right now. Fire indeed is one of the enemy of mankind. It killed millions of people already. We should be careful on our house and pray for God's protection.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (161080)
• United States
5 Mar 07
It is a great, and sad tribute to your friends that you are using this forum to promote fire safety. Bless your heart, and I hope this saves a life or two, but we will never know.
1 person likes this
@sneezeklenex (344)
• United States
4 Mar 07
I'm so sorry for your loss. I think you are wise to inform everyone to be aware of safty issues. Everyone should practice in case a fire were to happen so that way they know if one were to happen they could get out safely.
1 person likes this
@bkrishnarjun (49)
• India
5 Mar 07
This is very sad story.
I am truly sorry and thanks for sharing your experience with all of us mylotters.I am sure that this discussion issue will save some lives. I think this discussion will help for saving lifes of smokers.Now they will atleast to check his/her smoke alarms, which saves his/her life too with this kind of situation.
1 person likes this
@emiliano75 (680)
• Italy
4 Mar 07
I am terribly sorry for the lost of your bestfriend
1 person likes this
@awrittensin (14)
• United States
5 Mar 07
I'm very sorry to hear about this....
everyone should make sure to check their smoke alarm batteries every 6 months!!
1 person likes this
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
4 Mar 07
I am so sorry for your loss. The thing with fires is that most people think that it will never happen to them and that they are sure to get out if it does.
I am the first to admit that I didn´t have a smoke-alarm until the BIG fire here in sweden, that killed 63 teenages, after that I immidiately started getting scared of fire. I now have 2 in my house, one in the kitchen and one in the hallway. i check them once every 6 months to make sure they work properly as well!
Again sorry for your loss, never easy loosing someone you care about!
1 person likes this
@angel_manders (912)
• Canada
4 Mar 07
wow i cannot believe how sad that is and how my heart started to skip and it made me cry cause we have smoke detectors in our home but they are crappy and they dont work that well and the landlord i suppose to fix our windows and doors but hasnt really ever got a chance so now im gonna be on his case. im so sorry for your loss and you are in my prayers.
1 person likes this
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
4 Mar 07
I'm sorry to hear about this- This was very tragic...
It is very important to check your smoke detectors.. There are days when I unplug mine because they keep going off-- (NO I don't burn food that much).. After reading this- I will no longer unplug them.
We heat with a wood stove. Its very important to have working smoke detectors because of this.
I always change the batteries when I change the clocks-- this year its different- March 11 I think..
Thanks for the reminder-- and what a great tribute!
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
4 Mar 07
my condolences. It is tragic, someone we love and see everyday could die the next day due to fire. Did they install smoke alarms too? I check min every day because we cook that often and keep hearing it goes off unless we open the window.
1 person likes this
@Madhumitaa (270)
• India
4 Mar 07
I m raelly soorry for wat happened to your dear friend. thanx for ur reminder.. i will definitely check ma smoke alarms. nt only mine bt ill also remind ma neighbours abt it..n ill also wish tat v all should ve an extiguisher at r homes.. proper knwledge reg. tis s also essential.. and 1 more thing its a nice way to express your deep luv 4 Grandma Jean.. deepest regards.. take care buddy. have a gr8 day!
@Mithoo (255)
• Pakistan
4 Mar 07
I have become very sad after reading your discussion. I know what pain you feel when you loose someone very special and very loving to you. A person without whom you never thought of living without him or her. I am very sad and hope may God rest her in peace and also give you the patience on this tragic incident. I dont have any words to say how much we feel our lost ones when we love them very much in this world. We can not call them back but all that we have to do is to pray for them...
1 person likes this
