Daycare Fire

[TwinKristi]

Like I said that is your choice and completely up to you but not a choice I would make obviously you didn't really read all of my post because I did say that we had a house fire (over a year ago) that left my mom in the hospital with smoke inhalation. And actually when I was about 4 we did have a house fire in the small 1 bed-room apartment (attached to my great-aunt and uncle's house) that my grandma, my mom, my younger brother, and I all lived in early in the morning while we were all sleeping at the time and it wound up completely burning the attached apartment; So I do know it's not something to toy around with. You also didn't read that don't have any children of my own right now (unless you count my cats).

Plus that's a really low blow saying that I would jeopardize the daycare children. There are different way to make sure my cats get out, you don't know how my set up is or if I would have an assistant. Right now I don't even know what the layout of my house would be (haven't moved into it yet) and chances are my mom would be home because she is going to be working nights. If they are in a bedroom, I could just break a window to make sure they have away out or if they free roam make sure all the doors are open so they can get out. There are lots of ways to try to help someone in a house fire.

But thanks for calling me "reckless" because I value what you see as a lower life form... But keep in mind that you don't know me, you don't know my family, you don't know what I have lived through, and you don't know what things would completely destroy me psychologically. I don't shouldn't have to justify myself to you, only God can Judge me.

Well, my bad for not reading the posts way up there better, I was meaning as an adult. As a 4yr old you're really not responsible for anyone else, someone is responsible for YOU. When you have been in a house fire and your family or daycare kids are in danger, I think it's a little different then when you're 4 and your own mother suffers from smoke inhalation and you're worried about the cats. 4yr olds don't really understand things the way perhaps a 40yr old would. I am not judging you, I didn't call YOU reckless. I think it would be considered reckless to leave children to save a cat. It's my opinion just as much as it's your opinion that you would. Call it conviction, call it an opinion... whatever. But I didn't call YOU anything. I asked if you've been in a house fire, I suppose I should have clarified because I did read that you were as a child, but I meant more as an adult when you may have to consider other people's lives. You've made it clear that your animals mean more to you than your own family and that's your right. I didn't say you WOULD leave kids to save animals, you did. I'm just simply trying to wrap my mind around the idea of leaving these poor defenseless children who you've been professionally hired to care for, on the sidewalk to run back in for an animal. It may be brave, but like the guy who tried to help put out our fire, I wouldn't want anyone to be a hero for MY cat, MY possessions, etc. What you do is what you do and you have to sleep at night with that so be all means, risk your life for your animals. I would just hope as a provider you wouldn't leave them to do so. I didn't say you would, did, etc. but that's what I got from your post just as you got judgment and rudeness from mine. It was merely curiosity and amazement really. I guess I'm just too selfish to want to risk my life for a cat. Not because he's meaningless, he's quite meaningful to us actually. We've spent a small fortune on him when others would have put their cat down. I've seen people do so for far less. I've always loved my cat and would do what I could aside from risking my own life to save him. Sorry, my life IS more important than my cat's because my cat doesn't care for my kids, other people, etc. I suppose if I had nothing to lose BUT my cats than it would be different and that's probably why I'm having a hard time even comprehending this. I don't have to though, but please don't think I don't love my cat or somehow feel he's a "lower life form"... Some people feel children are a lower life form and kill them every day, but that's another debate altogether. Babies and children hold the highest regard in my life. They are my life. You may not understand that and that's fine. I'm sorry that my post upset you so much.

[craftymissbeth]

Well, my bad for not reading the posts way up there better, I was meaning as an adult. As a 4yr old you're really not responsible for anyone else, someone is responsible for YOU. When you have been in a house fire and your family or daycare kids are in danger, I think it's a little different then when you're 4 and your own mother suffers from smoke inhalation and you're worried about the cats. 4yr olds don't really understand things the way perhaps a 40yr old would. I am not judging you, I didn't call YOU reckless. I think it would be considered reckless to leave children to save a cat. It's my opinion just as much as it's your opinion that you would. Call it conviction, call it an opinion... whatever. But I didn't call YOU anything. I asked if you've been in a house fire, I suppose I should have clarified because I did read that you were as a child, but I meant more as an adult when you may have to consider other people's lives. You've made it clear that your animals mean more to you than your own family and that's your right. I didn't say you WOULD leave kids to save animals, you did. I'm just simply trying to wrap my mind around the idea of leaving these poor defenseless children who you've been professionally hired to care for, on the sidewalk to run back in for an animal. It may be brave, but like the guy who tried to help put out our fire, I wouldn't want anyone to be a hero for MY cat, MY possessions, etc. What you do is what you do and you have to sleep at night with that so be all means, risk your life for your animals. I would just hope as a provider you wouldn't leave them to do so. I didn't say you would, did, etc. but that's what I got from your post just as you got judgment and rudeness from mine. It was merely curiosity and amazement really. I guess I'm just too selfish to want to risk my life for a cat. Not because he's meaningless, he's quite meaningful to us actually. We've spent a small fortune on him when others would have put their cat down. I've seen people do so for far less. I've always loved my cat and would do what I could aside from risking my own life to save him. Sorry, my life IS more important than my cat's because my cat doesn't care for my kids, other people, etc. I suppose if I had nothing to lose BUT my cats than it would be different and that's probably why I'm having a hard time even comprehending this. I don't have to though, but please don't think I don't love my cat or somehow feel he's a "lower life form"... Some people feel children are a lower life form and kill them every day, but that's another debate altogether. Babies and children hold the highest regard in my life. They are my life. You may not understand that and that's fine. I'm sorry that my post upset you so much.

I'm sorry, but you just went on that huge tangent unnecessarily. She NEVER once said she would leave children anywhere in order to get her cats out. She never once said she would choose her cats OVER the children. AND she DID experience a house fire as an adult... that piece of information you overlooked was in the first sentence of her last post.

[TwinKristi]

Sorry, I was just trying to clarify and I guess I read too fast on the first sentence and misunderstood what she meant. My bad. I wasn't trying to ruffle feathers, I was truly curious as I really don't know anyone who risk their own life for a cat but I guess I just know mostly moms. It's just a different world than those without kids and I often forget some people truly view animals as children and would give their life for them.

[Blackcat31]

What is your perspective BCat, if your pets and kids and daycare kids were all in the same house? Just curious.

I don't think I can truthfully answer that.

I have never been in that situation and I won't ever have to be since my kids aren't little anymore.

I did lend a bit of perspective about my feelings when I replied to SilverSabre though..

Here is my post to her...

I totally understand where you are coming from.

I don't know what I would do in that situation for sure and hopefully will never have to find out but I have often felt the same way in other similar (but not nearly as tragic) situations.

For example, my DS and his friend were playing outside at my daycare one time. My DS, now 22 yrs old was about 7 at the time. Anyways, he and his friend were splitting rocks. (My DH builds split rock fireplaces and such...) and my DS ended up getting his finger smashed between two rocks.

It ended up being a really bad accident...he had a long surgery to repair, months of PT and Dr's visits.

I remember looking back that the biggest thing I felt was relief that it was MY child that got hurt and not one of the daycare kids.

I know you know what I mean..... so I don't need to explain why.

[countrymom]

you ladies are silly. Because if there was a fire in your house, you wouldn't think, you would go into auto pilot and just do it. You would try to save the whole house if you could and everything in it, because thats the way we are, we are human. I would try and save every living thing in my house including all the children and the pets, again its just the way we are wired.

[jenboo]

And that's your choice but to me they are a member of my family (probably more-so than most of my family members) that can't just be "replaced" like a lost pair of earrings. Heck, my brother once caused a kitchen fire that lead my mom in the hospital for smoke inhalation and I was mad because they left the cats in the house (they opened the windows {screened} but still). Pets maybe 'replaceable' to you but to me there are living being with unique personalities just as humans are (though, not many people are all that "unique" IMHO). It may seem silly to you but sometimes it seems like everyone I have ever cared about has either left me or continued to disappoint me time and time again- except them.

But the reason why I brought up my pets is that I'm not 100% sure what I am doing with my cats during daycare hours- If I'm going to have them in my room or a closed off section during daycare hours or let them free roam. I am not going to just leave them in a locked area, trapped with no exit to be put to their death either by being tortured and burned to death or slowly asphyxiated by smoke inhalation (which ever gets them first). As a HSP who has dealt with depression, I know personally I would not be able to live with that guilt and that no matter what the start of the fire was that I would always blame myself and never find inner peace. Just thinking about it right now is reducing me to tears.

I don't crate my dogs because I'm terrified of a fire. They wouldn't have a chance. My dogs are locked in my bedroom with a dog door that leads to the side yard. That way they could get out. Maybe you could install a small cat/dog door that leads outside and create an inclosure for them so other animals can't get them but they can get outside ? I know a few people who have something like this.

[Starburst]

I don't crate my dogs because I'm terrified of a fire. They wouldn't have a chance. My dogs are locked in my bedroom with a dog door that leads to the side yard. That way they could get out. Maybe you could install a small cat/dog door that leads outside and create an inclosure for them so other animals can't get them but they can get outside ? I know a few people who have something like this.

I was thinking about something like that I just don't know how much it would cost and we would be renting so I probably can't install anything but I was thinking what if I could find one that could hook up threw a window?

Though if I was rich enough I would just have emergency sprinklers installed in every room in my house (we once lived in an apartment that had that and they checked them regularly).

[SilverSabre25]

I was thinking about something like that I just don't know how much it would cost and we would be renting so I probably can't install anything but I was thinking what if I could find one that could hook up threw a window?

I'm pretty sure they do make them that hook up to a window.

[SilverSabre25]

you ladies are silly. Because if there was a fire in your house, you wouldn't think, you would go into auto pilot and just do it. You would try to save the whole house if you could and everything in it, because thats the way we are, we are human. I would try and save every living thing in my house including all the children and the pets, again its just the way we are wired.

Actually, I do NOT go on Autopilot in an emergency. I act according to pre-planned contingencies I've thought about in my head for long periods of time. I am one of those people who functions VERY well in an emergency and loses my head AFTER everyone is safe.

And...not directly to you countrymom but as a general response to the discussion...I wouldn't go back in for my pets. Not my cat, not my dog, nothing. Because as much as I love them, if they don't get out, there are literally thousands more waiting in the shelters. Cats especially--you're NOT going to be able to find a cat in a fire. If they don't get out on their own or aren't lurking by the door to escape as soon as it's opened (and they might, because they can sense stuff we can't), they are going to be in deep, deep hiding and you aren't going to be able to find them in the smoke and stuff. And they would NOT come out for you. They're cats. In certain situations, maybe--depending on where the fire is and what's going on. But probably not. Leave the front door open? Absolutely. Tell the firefighters, "my cats are still in there!" Obviously. Go back into a dangerous situation and die? For a child. Maybe an adult. Not for an animal.

[Starburst]

I'm pretty sure they do make them that hook up to a window.

That's good, I will look into it.

[ColorfulSunburst]

you ladies are silly. Because if there was a fire in your house, you wouldn't think, you would go into auto pilot and just do it. You would try to save the whole house if you could and everything in it, because thats the way we are, we are human. I would try and save every living thing in my house including all the children and the pets, again its just the way we are wired.

different people have different kind of autopilots. I know a situation when a teacher smashed the window of the room that was on fire. As a result very many children died because the flame got extra oxygen and quickly engulfed the huge space(((

unfortunately to be on autopilot doesn't mean to act correctly.

[Unregistered]

My response to a house fire.

I have dcks, a daughter of my own, a cat and a dog and if my house was on fire, my main focus would be getting the dcks out of the house safely. My DD is almost 18 years old so she's familiar with what to do in the case of a fire. She would get out safely. As far as our pets are concerned, I would save them if I could but I wouldn't put my life in jeopardy by running into a burning house to get the animals. Don't get me wrong...I really do love my pets but I can't justify making my DH a widow and my DD motherless by going back into a burning house.