Tuesday, February 10, 2009

FIRE! Evacuate!

So we had a very exciting Sunday morning.

Man-dad and H-mom decided to go out for breakfast on the motorcycle, which was fine because Madison had already enjoyed a two-hour romp and swim at the dog park. Her usual X-treme Bitey Face and Zoomie-racing had her tired out, and she was more than content to konk out next to the teen-human's bed.

Teen-humans, and especially OUR teen-human, don't usually rise before 1 or so on a sleepy Sunday. And Madison was all in for a companionable sleepy Sunday.

At about 10:30 am, though, there was a terrible noise. Sirens started ringing through the building, down the hallway. And an awful blonking warning buzzer was going off in our condo.

The teen-human rolled over. Annoyed. This has happened before, and it usually stops, with no action needed. Certainly no getting-out-of-bed-on-Sunday-morning kind of action.


After about 15 minutes, the fish in the dining room starting making stern statements:

"All residents, exit the building. This is not a drill. All residents, exit the building immediately."

This was very strange coming from Man-dad's dolphin. Madison was confused.

(See the intercom speaker conveniently hidden behind the giant blue trophy?)


The teen-human got out of bed, pulled on some sweats, hooked on Madison's leash and pulled her into the hallway.


Now the hallway is very long, and we live on the 19th floor. The fire doors were closed, the emergency lights flashing, and the sirens blaring. It was all quite frightening, actually.

Everyone knows that in an exit emergency, you follow the EXIT signs and head down the stairs.


Well, Madison is an elevator girl. The emergency stairs are down the hallway, in a direction that we don't usually take, through two frightening and heavy fire-proof doors, and into an industrial stairwell. They are made out of metal, and the noise from all the people stomping down them was terrible. They vibrate and feel particularly strange.


Madison tucked her little tail stub in and tried to crawl into the corner.


Then Madison dug her paws in and refused to move.


The teen-human tried to pick her up, but Madison weighs about 55 pounds now, and the teen-human is only a little more than twice that. So the teen-human coaxed Madison, stair by stair by stair, down 1/2 a flight, and then another 1/2 a flight. Then down the next 1/2 flight. Imagine the noise and the flashing lights.


Teen-human managed to get Madison safely to the 11th floor -- down 8 flights of red metal stairs, with lights flashing and sirens blaring - when suddenly there was calm.

The lights stopped. The noise ceased. Announcements were finished.

The fire emergency evaporated.

So the teen-human exited the stairwell on the 11th floor, rode the elevator with Madison back UP to 19, and got back in bed.

We have a few observations:

1) Teen-human didn't even HESITATE to take Madison with in the escape from the building.

2) Search and Rescue dogs brave enough to do high-rise disaster work (and our little emergency was nothing on the scale of FRIGHTENING) are incredible, brave and astounding animals. We can't even begin to imagine their nerves of steel and resolve to work in crises. It makes H-Mom all teary, just because that is how she is.

3) It is very strange to have announcements coming from the dolphin.

15 comments:

Patience-please said...

Sounds like the teen deserves a BIG treat, and like stairs play training is in order for Madison!

Tama-Chan, Benny, Vidock, Violette, Ollie, Heloise, Momo, Ryu said...

It sounds like you were every brave, Madison, and your Teen very cool-headed.

Talking dolphins. Yeeeeesssssssss..........?

Eduardo said...

What a scary day! That dolphin is cool though! The teen human was very good to be so calm!
Hugs & Snugs
Eduardo the Snuggle Puggle

Biggie-Z said...

Wow, BRAVE Teen-Human and Madison!

I had to take our old dog, Boo, down 17 flights of dark stairs on the night of 9/11. Our poor guy had already been traumatized by sitting in our apartment a few blocks away with the windows open just a crack and waiting for me to come back. He was so happy to see me alive that he walked all the way down with just me and a flashlight for company.

Dexter said...

Oh Madison, were there force fields on those stairs? Momma is always worried about ever having an emergency because I am afraid to pass through force fields too.

Slobbers,
Mango

Dughallmor Beagles said...

Wow, is that a dramatisation or did teen-human take photos throughout?!
Love your dolphin intercom :D
Oh, and glad it WAS just a drill, gotta keep everyone on their toes!
Slobbers xx

Allison Walton said...

Wow--good job, Teen-human! You deserve a big treat.

Maybe Madison needs some stairs practice. :)

Glad everything was okay!!

Wuv,
Gus and Waldo

KEY WEST COLLIES said...

A job well done. We imagine it was more the people and noise rather than the stairs.

Essex & Deacon

Misadventures of Widowhood said...

Wow, what a scary thing. Teen human did well!

Levi, the miniature schnauzer

Stanley said...

Hey, girl!

We're catching up with you, and since we've been gone George has been lost AND found (WooOoHooOOO), you've had your MangoMinster photo shoot, the teen hooman saved your life (she didn't know it was a false alarm), and you've begun to pick up Paris Hilton-esque behaviors. Is that about it?

You're still FABULOUS dahling!

Goober love,
Stanley

Kathryn and Ari said...

A fire alarm AND a talking dolphin? Eegads! Thank goodness for wise and forward thinking teen human.

The Devil Dog said...

Wow, that's a lot of excitement. A little too much, if you ask me. A talking dolphin? How funny is that. As for Madison being scared, who can blame her. Glad it all ended well.

Roxy

PS I will try and not give Madison any bad habits. hahahaha Bet she doesn't have to jump to reach the table or counter.

Molly the Airedale said...

What a frightening experience for the half asleep teen-hooman! She has our admiration!

Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch

Moose said...

Good Teen Human! Always listen to the Dolphins, they are very wise animals ;-) That must have been seriously terrifying. My Moose (110 lbs) gets freaked out in stairwells and we would not have done so well at all. I think part of the problem is the echoing too. Did you know that fear of stairs is called 'bathmophobia' which sounds like it should be a fear of baths but either way my moose has it! http://dewdana.blogspot.com/2007/06/bathmophobia.html

Puglette said...

wow, what a frightening event! your daughter was so brave! hugs to her and madison!!
hugs,
puglette
:o)



ha! i just had to mention...my word verification word is nopain...i wish!!


musings on a giant schnauzer in a little MEDIUM LARGE package