What would you save in a fire?

Money. Insure everything else, ask for a rider.

Nothing audio. every time I replace it, it gets better.

Sorry to hear that you've been affected by that disaster. Where's a god when you need one?

I've fireproof cases with important docs, old love letters and photos. Jewelry. Guns. The turntables and amps.

My pair of Futterman H3aa OTL tube amps and the stereo Futterman Harvard Music H3 OTL tube amp. Then my two pairs of Quad 57’s. Third my Linn Sondek.

The black and white negatives and color slides I took as a concert photographer during the 70's.... 

My deepest sympathy to you and your neighbors. I have family members that lost  it all in the Paradise Fire and the Creek Fire. My cousin was recovering from cancer treatment and surgery when they were sent running for their lives in Paradise. As far as the comment above about God. God is always present for those who seek him. Also to the above comment aluminum scopes melt in a “ Fire Proof “ safe during a house fire. The steel gun that’s left is not operable nor safe to shoot. As far as what I’d take , my two standard poodles and my financial documents. For the sake of your question regarding stereo equipment, my NOS tubes. When I was trying to get ahold of family just to see if they’re alive, property pales by comparison   Wednesday our bible study prayed for the fire victims and and we prayed for the First Responders. Going back to your home there are issues with toxins and polluted water that last for months if not years. God bless you and your family, Respectfully, Mike B. 

I’d first save everything that I love that is not produced anymore as everything else can be replaced with insurance money.  This includes vinyl and CDs, and especially those prized CDs that aren’t and likely won’t ever be available for streaming (I have several of those).  So sorry you’re in this situation and hope your home stays safe!

My rare records.

@au_lait ​​​​​​

Records would be my top priority. Maybe acoustical panels next.

Best wishes to all affected by the fire.

I can't imagine the sadness of losing everything including a carefully constructed system that I am sure gave you great joy. At least you are safe. Hopefully you have insurance and can reconstruct. 

I was thinking about this as I have family and friends already evacuated, lost cherished Olympic gold medals and everything they called a home. Can't wait for this nightmare to end.

I wonder if you could put things in a water proof bag and put them in your swimming pool, would they be safe? (I don’t have a pool, nor would I want to, but this would be one function)

(But to be serious, we will hopefully learn from this and stop hiring women to be firefighters who sleep with other woman who steal so much water there is none left for the hydrant. That’s what the smart people say out there. Also raking…)

(But to be serious, we will hopefully learn from this and stop hiring women to be firefighters who sleep with other woman who steal so much water there is none left for the hydrant. That’s what the smart people say out there. Also raking…)

Misplaced blame. The voters voted to build more Reservoirs 8 yrs ago. They were never built nor were the existing ones maintained with water. I don't think the fire chiefs are responsible for that.

I have a small briefcase fire safe with a backup of all my photos (125,000) and our wills and other papers. Nothing else other than dogs and partner are important. 

@artemus_5 I can't ever write stuff silly enough to be not taken seriously

My spare cartridges would be easy to save.

@grislybutter , I give you credit for trying.

"Misplaced blame. The voters voted to build more Reservoirs 8 yrs ago. They were never built nor were the existing ones maintained with water. I don't think the fire chiefs are responsible for that."

I have lived in No. CA since the mid '60s. CA hasn't built a reservoir up here since the 1970's. If they were try try now, the environmental wackos would instantly file lawsuits. 

The ignorance here about California’s water management is wild but not surprising 

Sorry about what you’re dealing with.

If facing a similar situation, system wise, I’d try to take my scratch built, original design speakers, and at least the tube amp that my uncle made, and it’s matching twin too, and hopefully the Lazarus tube preamp that I bought new in the late 80s. Most of the other stereo stuff could be replaced.

From a materialistic standpoint, the only thing that I would consider taking is anything that cannot be replaced.  I would imagine that if I was ever was to faced such an unfortunate circumstance, I would hope that the last thing I would be thinking about is my stereo equipment.   Family, pets and helping my neighbours would be my priority.

@grislybutter ,

Your dry eastern European sense of humor does seem to blow right by a lot of guys on here. I thought the (also raking) addition was a dead giveaway. Being first generation American descended from actual Carpathians, I share in in your style of humor. Personally, I blame Neptune. The guy, not the planet.

I'd pass out trying to lift my Krells and perish with them in the fire.

@eurorack , 😆

@thecarpathian Thank you, I take it as a compliment. 

I joined a new project and team 2 years ago with about 30 people, all from a small-ish town in Michigan. I'd make jokes all the time, in chats, in person, big meetings and small and 9 out of 10 times I still get frozen faces and/or polite "what you do mean"s. A few of them now get it (they don't laugh) and blush for me, they understand it's incurable.  

I am sorry 

Subtle humor, the best!

@immatthewj you are worse than I am (if that's possible). 

Bitcoin is probably the only responsible insurance instrument. My audio equipment loses value quickly in comparison. If you can find cheaper less box count solutions take your extra equity and store it in bitcoin. It wont burn rust or be devalued by inflation. 

I usually way over think things, but a few days ago I simply lined up 2 large cat carriers with food, a tin containing important paper documents and placed a bell around my wife's neck.

Figured I would stuff our meds in my jacket on the way out.

We live between the recent Sunset and Hollywood Bowl fires.

The fires were extinguished. 

Now rethinking it as we have photos all over the apartment I placed the one of my mother and aunt riding in a goat drawn cart as "kids" next to the from door as it's my favorite.

DeKay

So sorry to learn about your traumatic circumstances.

Two years ago, we narrowly escaped a similar tragedy.

I live in the Sierra foothills, where fire danger is ongoing. I keep my most prized/out of print cds on a special shelf and a box reserved for them in a closet. My hand built acoustic is more of a priority than my audio gear, none of which is especially costly or out of the ordinary.

@grislybutter 

I don't know if you are on Reddit, but comments like yours are followed by an /s to indicate sarcasm. Those of us who are unsure of your meaning can see that, yes indeed, you were only joking. It spares a lot of hurt feelings by people who have a less dry sense of humor

​​​​​​​

Phison PD2SE, ATC SCM 50 ASLT TAIKO DC-ATX. Too heavy to carry! The fires are absolutely Tragic! I hope everyone sends good energy! 

@grislybutter , that would not be possible, although it is what I strive for.

@dseltz ,

I thought the ’/s’ was short for ’slow on the uptake.’

comments like yours are followed by an /s

I am not on reddit and I find it hilarious. I am really a moron when I think I can communicate anything/most thoughts

well @dekay if you do have to evacuate, my house is open a 100 miles south. (that would be in the Ocean, so southeast, to be accurate).

My daughter lives by Pico-Robertson, so maybe I should be worried about her too. I imagine that being a few miles from the hills is enough of a buffer. 

@dseltz until we discover that ever elusive sarcasm font!

Mr. Butter:

Pico/Robertson is a safe place, IMO, and as we are just below Fountain Ave I'm fairly confident that we are as well.

However, Mel Gibson started camping out @ our pool (your pool idea) which is just a basic plastic Turtle Pool, located on our back/common area apartment patio, and he refused to leave until I started blasting Klezmer Jazz to that area.

Music RULES!!!

DeKay

@jond 

Hmmm, that would be a great thing. Of course, Audiogon has only one font lol

@grislybutter  Just a suggestion: If you are going to make a comment intended to be recognized as sarcastic or even not to be taken seriously, you might not want to begin your sentence with the words, "But to be serious,".

My insurance and receipts are 25% higher then I paid for ,and I have replacement cost ,specified not prorated , my family and Animals are what matters most 

everything else can be replaced !!

Design For Disaster

From the archives of the Los Angeles Fire Department a documentary about the infamous 1961 conflagration. Anyone who has been following the current break out will notice some very recognizable places and similar management failures - the only difference being that there are many more houses to burn up now. Understandable that the insurance companies have had enough.

@aewarren ,

Yes, but that’s the setup.

You say that to get the reader’s mind prepared for some deep, thoughtful response but deliver something that is so ludicrously silly it can’t possibly be taken seriously.

It strengthens the impact of the humor. Or in most of the guy's cases here, doesn’t.

Now, @dekay takes a different approach. It's an off the wall, low key humor that relies on visual imagination as he spins a clever yarn.

@aewarren , was it truly that difficult to read this

(But to be serious, we will hopefully learn from this and stop hiring women to be firefighters who sleep with other woman who steal so much water there is none left for the hydrant. That’s what the smart people say out there. Also raking…)

and deduce that the author was not being at all serious? Even with the "to be serious" preface? I am only asking because I am actually curious.

Honestly I would grab the Harbeths, the Dog and the Meds and I’m gone.

Ok, so if I had answered the OP's question of "What would I save" with "Your wife's shoes", you would all recognize it as just my attempt at sarcastic wit? I merely thought that a serious question deserved a serious response. Sorry if I was wrong.

I wouldn't have thought that you were being serious, @aewarren , if that's what you mean.  

sounds good Mr @dekay  and please evacuate the weirdo, 

@immatthewj and @thecarpathian you can really tell I miserably failed when you have to explain it  - because that's how jokes and irony work 

I actually got a bit of a chuckle, @grislybutter , when I first read your post that stirred up a separate discussion aside from the OP. However, that was probably just the leftist in me coming out. I would also admit that stuff frequently flies right over my head. But with that last sentence typed, I don’t know that anything as obvious as the reference to female firefighters who sleep with other females that are stealing water has ever whistled past me. I couldn’t help but concoct an amusing (completely nonsexual) visual from that one.