What would you save in a fire?


Had the unpleasant experience of the Palisades fire nearly burning my house down. As in, I left driving through a firestorm and when I returned all except the actual structure was blackened. I then had to choose what to take with me before fire makes it way back the other side of the hill (which it’s doing now) and stuff my car. I was able to take about 300 out of 10k records, 2 turntables (one that is 250 lbs and almost gave me a hernia), my DAC, 2 phonostages… but had to leave my Aleph 1.2 monoblocks and speakers. Although I did also save 4 TAD woofers, 2 compression drivers, 2 horns and tweeters. I left everything else, spare a shirt and underwear.

I know it sounds materialistic or petty, but the music means everything to me. My wife saved 20 pairs of shoes haha. My question for you is… if you had to choose quickly, what would you save? Would your system make the cut?

au_lait

Clothes on my back, a couple of days worth of clothing. Any money, some small sentimental items, a watch, my laptop and phone. Peeps and pets. Old family photos. Everything else is replaceable.

Oh, to actually answer The Question:

Spouse & pets...meds....

All else is Not Important.  End of line.

It is much more real listening to forum members describe what they are going through in the grips of the disaster. We are all saying a little prayer.

@immatthewj 

Suitable for framing

By the way:

Understanding the Idiom Of "But Seriously Folks"

 

Variations in Tone

"One way in which the idiom “but seriously folks” can vary is in its tone. Depending on the speaker’s intention, this phrase can be delivered with varying levels of seriousness or humor. For example, if someone is giving a comedic speech but wants to make a serious point, they might use this idiom as a transition into their more somber topic. On the other hand, if someone is trying to lighten the mood during a tense conversation, they might use this phrase ironically before making a joke."

Pray for us, we’re in for another insane windstorm and what BARELY survived round one still has to survive round two. Thankfully we’ve control burned most things on the endangered side now. 

Depends on how much time I had to get out. First and foremost I’d make a bug out bag for my wife, my dogs and me. Then would come what ever she told me to pack.  And as far as my two rigs, I’d grab some old ARC equipment and some vinyl and CD’s that would be hard to replace. Then I’d take pictures of everything else for proof of ownership for the insurance company. Like others have said, I’d probably leave all the electronics. 

I would like to think I'd toss my Krell amp in the truck.  Problem is I'm in California & it's still on vacation at the Krell plant in Connecticut SINCE APRIL!!!  

I have a lot of stuff. An entire lifetime of hobbies. The only blood relative I have left is one nephew. When I die, I will be soon forgotten. At this point in my life, I enjoy all my stuff, but it doesn't have any meaning to anybody else. Everything can be replaced, and I can start over. 

Depends on how much time I'm given to evacuate. Financial documents and money for sure, same for my cats. As for stereo, given enough time its all coming although fitting the Klipschorns into my cars would be impossible. If I have only minutes the entirety is a goner, with most of my system being custom build or diy modified I wouldn't even attempt to replace it with a new setup, I'd be finished as an audiophile.

It's easy to say what you may take,  but really what's important is getting out alive.  People and pets, everything else is replaceable. 

we faced this very scenario last year when our home was struck by lightning and fire erupted

had to flee the house In less than five minutes

I took my daughter, our two dogs, and our cat

I grabbed my iPad

everything else was left behind and destroyed

In the driveway in our vehicle, we watched the whole thing play out in front of us like a movie. My daughter, who was just 21 years old at the time said “Dad we have insurance everything else is just stuff and we are safe and our pets are safe“

We said a prayer of thanks For our safety and for the safety of the firefighters

And we moved on and now we have all new stuff in a completely rebuilt house

We come into the world with nothing and we leave the world with nothing and in between we get some stuff, we lose some stuff, etc.

 

 

Anything I built or had built, pets and of course my cable lifters and harmonic resonator pucks.  wink

So sorry to hear and my heart goes out to all those impacted by the fires.  My wife and I discussed this a few years ago after a fire at my parents house.  We decided on our files and important documents.  Initially it was family pictures but fortunately those are now backed up so we don’t have to worry about the physical pictures.  I hope everyone is able to recover.  The one thing unfortunately that’s not recoverable is the loss of life.  God bless.  

...and when the fires finally get snuffed, I don’t envy what level of blather and bs that will roil greater LA , not to mention the number looking to find shelter, some contractors to rebuild, and the materials to build with.

As one who had the ringside seating for the AVL flooding but nil damage except to one’s psyche, and can barely imagine what many are going through or have just begun to wake to the next nightmare.....

Recovery and/or CYA...or leave it all behind... As a ’former refugee’ in ’90, the dream was over, in ’74 was already in the rear view shrinking but not.

We’re concerned over what to do with all this debris, trash, and all the dead trees that have to be dealt with..

...as we have our own fire season here....

Livin' in a tinderbox, we are..

Good luck..

@schiada788 We’re in the same boat. I’m in Flores Cyn. My whole yard burnt, flames up the walls, but the house survived. None of my neighbors were so lucky. I eventually left hoping to drop stuff and get back up for more in case the fire wraps back around the other side, but now the national guard is here it’s impossible to get back in.

I can answer that factually. I’m on the NE front of the fire. Home still standing at moment, but can’t get back in. There is just no time for the heavy stuff.  I took the servo controller box for my infinity gammas, a CJ pre, dac and streamer Amps and speakers had to sweat it out. 

I can answer that factually. I’m on the NE front of the fire. Home still standing at moment, but can’t get back in. There is just no time for the heavy stuff.  I took the servo controller box for my infinity gammas, a CJ pre, dac and streamer Amps and speakers and amps had to sweat it out. 

Water is the most corrupt and politicized asset in CA, has been for 100 years. Blame the Wonderful Co before the sexual prefs of the fire chief or the gov’s fish fetish. But I digress. I know some of you would want to remember your meds (perhaps your red pills), but the question was… Would you bring your system? Records? Shoes?

I used to live in sh1thole California until our house was destroyed in the 1977 sycamore canyon fire, 230 hoes burned down because of the Santa Ana winds. 
We had the same issues like no management of growth in the hills and when fire trucks were going up the canyon, they would stop at a fire hydrant, hook up their hose and no water, so they per going.

Moved out of state and was glad we did. Part of the loan we got, I bought a $7000 audio system to replace my system that got destroyed. 
California residents need to know there are consequences of how you vote because they voted these idiots into office: newscum, the mayor of la: DEI at it finest work.

Get rid of these idiots, build reservoirs, and start forest management.

How are the electric fire trucks working out for LA without any power to charge them? It doesn’t get any better than this!!!

+10, @grislybutter .

@awboat , you have your priorities in order.  Personally, I would be most concerned about my dogs.

 @p05129 you accomplished the most amount of nonsense with the fewest characters. And we agree that it was good for you and for us that you left CA 

Nope, the only thing that I would save is my computer and my dog. Then the wife. Nothing else matters. 

I like the statement grab the krells .I have the big ones.sorry about the loss.hope better management happens now.be safe stay healthy.

I can relate, @grislybutter .

I guess congratulations are in order, @p05129 ; someone had to do it sooner or later.

but I really don’t feel sorry for the California residents because they voted these idiots into office: newscum, the mayor of la: DEI at it finest.

Get rid of these idiots, build reservoirs, and start forest management.

How are the electric fire trucks working out for LA without any power to charge them? It doesn’t get any better than this!!!

 

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when this stuff is politicized and the blame game takes center stage (instead of figuring out solutions and helping people in need) my default escape is humor - whatever form of it

 

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.

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 crying - because that's how jokes and irony work 

 

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

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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.

@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.

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 ,

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.

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.

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 !!

@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,".

 

@jond 

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

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

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. 

 

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

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 

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

smiley​​​​​​​