We had a bit of unexpected drama in our block of flats earlier this week when our next door neighbour had a small fire at the back of her property. Thankfully some window cleaners had spotted the blaze, so they called the fire brigade and raised the alarm, which meant that it was extinguished very quickly without any damage to the building or risk to health. As it was such a minor incident, there wasn't any need for them to consider evacuating the block, but I suppose it go me to thinking about what I would choose to take with me, if I did have time to collect some essential belongings in the event of an emergency.
For those of you that have read my previous posts, you will know that my personal Kensington is my all-time favourite, so this would definitely be in my bag if I needed to evacuate our home.
Which Filofax or other brand organiser would you choose to take with you in this type of situation?
And as always on Fridays, please feel free to discuss anything organiser related. I hope that you have a great weekend.
Can anyone please confirm whether Mini paper fits on Personal rings? I'm thinking that it might be handy as a pocket memo pad.
ReplyDeleteYes Mini does fit on Personal rings except the bottom left hand corner of the page will either need to be folded over or a small amount cut off it to avoid a clash with the fourth ring of the personal size.
DeleteFilofax actually do these memo packs that have three 19mm centre holes on them. Mine are three coloured pads and landscape format. As such they csan fit in pretty much any filofax. I use them one on each set of three rings at times.
DeleteI was lucky in that I saw them in the WHSMITHS clearance section once. If you are in the UK and visit such a store check that area out, usually in the back. They do occasionally sell off the less commonly bought filofax and own branded binder items. I ended up spending £15 but probably got double that in full price value. They are usually items you don't buy at full price but at less than half price you think "why not?" and get them. Then find out they are actually useful and worth the full price.
I think I got the idea of mixing other sizes of inserts from seeing a review of Plotter USA items. They promote this idea with specifically designed inserts. I just found these cheap notelets and used that instead. I suppose you could just cut down any good paper you have and hole punch it to get the same thing but to your own size. Perhaps if you print anything with large blank space on it then cut off and use the scraps for notelets.
Thanks, Steve and Paul!
DeleteGerard
Anyone use binder rings without the cover as a small, light organiser?
ReplyDeleteI have an old (30 yo or more) pocket sized filofax clone that I do not like because it is zipped. I found out the innards fell out and was a sliding fixing to a plate within the faux leather cover. I put it back in place but wondered if I could work without the cover? I think I saw a video where someone had such a setup for notes and jotting uses. Just wondering if itis something anyone here does.
One last thing, in a fire I doubt I would have time to pick and choose what I took. I think my first things would be partner, son, wallet, keys, clothing if at night and shoes. Basically what I would need to have to be outside and manage with the post emergency fire side of things.
ReplyDeleteI could contact the insurers with just a name of the company. I could sort out bank things with the cards in my wallet and the drivers licence there is good ID. I think a filofax is useful in life but it is not, for me, so important that I would go seek it as I am getting out of a fire. Survival is first priority, then for me items to cope with emergencies which TBH is more likely to be money, ID, probably phone too. My keys I would take for sentimentality. If the building goes then the keys are useless but not as a memento of the home I once had. I think you find refugee families sometimes pass down keys for their long time left homes as a kind of family heirloom and hope for the future return to their family home. I think that is my excuse for taking the keys.
And on that morbid note. If I did take a filofax, I think I would need to have decided which one before the fire. I mean it could take too much time making the decision which one to take. my first leather one (secondhand finsbury A5) or my personal leather one (a brand new holborn that probably holds the most complete record of my passwords outside of digital password managers that is). Or perhaps my very first one (a pocket faux leather no brand one) or the second which was the first one I actually used for real and for the longest time?
It took me a few minutes to type this, in a fire that is dangerous so I decisions need to be made beforehand. Perhaps an emergency filofax is needed. Not your day to day carry but one that truly has the essentials you need if your house burnt down. That would probably hold various financial and insurance details, but also perhaps a list of high value items. Perhaps your main family and work contact details. Maybe a collection of your favourite old photographs of family who might have passed on. Copies of highly personal documents perhaps. Kept in a bugout bag that is easily accessed anywhere in the house.
Hi, Paul B. That is an excellent comment. I saw a video once where a house-fire was shown to spread rapidly — because furniture is more flammable than we realize. The room gets dangerously hot, particle-filled, flame-filled, and turns into a trap very quickly.
DeleteMaybe Filofaxes can be stored in fire-proof containers (glass jars?) and retrieved later.
Hey Anita, as someone who has unfortunately experienced a house electrical fire I can tell you that in our case there was no more than three minutes between the smoke alarms going off, ringing the fire brigade and having to leave the house as the stairs were on fire. It spread so quickly that we had no chance to save anything, so I would suggest to anyone if there is something they value highly (a Filofax Swarovski?) to store it near the main point of exit or purchase a fire-proof safe box. Make sure you check your smoke alarms (every November 5th is a good habit to remember) and of course keep a fire-extinguisher handy.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Also, have a discussion with all members of the household about evacuation. You have evacuation rules at work so you should have the same at home. In our case we discussed what we would do if we were in each room with fires in different places of the house. Basically we have means to evacuate from any room if the fire blocks direct egress from the front or back door.
DeleteOur only issue is that this newer (to us) house does not have evacuation sized windows. Our last house had windows that opened up widely enough to escape through in every room. This house we need the means to break double glazed windows to get out. At least the back rooms go to ground level. The front one storey up onto grass or border for a soft landing. We also know to climb down until arm length then drop to reduce the height to fall. It is all these little things that raise awareness and gives you the advantage in the case of a fire.
Of course, wired in fire alarms with battery backup I believe are a thing. Perhaps a better idea, provided you vacuum them out often as household dust can impair the sensor's working I read once. So when you vacuum a room don't forget the smoke alarms!!
Bug out bag is one thing that is popular in america but less so here. Might be a good idea. It gives you time to sort out things rather than being outside in the cold wearing your PJs!!!
Not really Filofax related but, as my business for the past 26 years has been apartment rentals, I feel I must speak! An emergency plan that everyone understands is number one priority plus being sensible at bedtime (candles, smoking, deep fat fryers etc). The best way out in the event of a fire is straight downstairs (main stairs or fire escape). Close all doors behind you and meet outside. Do not use the lift, do not jump out of windows and do not climb up to the roof. Take the hamster but do not stop to hunt for your Filofax organiser (you’ll have a back up surely?). As a very last resort close all doors and stay inside near a window (so you can be seen). Assuming your building is properly fire certificated your double protection fire doors will give you an absolute minimum of 60 minutes protection. Also, test all mains fire alarms, CO detectors and your emergency lighting regularly. Do not use cheap battery alarms. Dust ceiling sensors (for dust and spiders). Replace old wiring and dodgy old heaters. Use a fire guard for an open fire.
ReplyDeleteSleep contendedly. The risk of fire is small and nearly all fires can be prevented.
Hi all, I've just re-read my post & realised that I must've gotten distracted & accidentally published my draft post without finishing it! Sorry about that, so here's an update on what should have been included...
ReplyDeleteSome years ago, I was working in a shared working space & got talking with a lovely guy from Australia. He was telling me about how his father-in-law keeps a Filofax-type organiser in an emergency supplies kit bag, so that all the important info is already ready to grab in case they need to evacuate due to a bush fire. He also had a spare bank card & some cash in the organiser.
So, as Paul B has mentioned, my question was meant to be asking about which Filofax you might pick beforehand to hold emergency details (like the person's father-in-law did), so that it would be already ready to take with you, if needed.
Of course if the situation doesn't allow be prepared to leave it all behind and just get out. Nothing is so precious as to cost you your life!!
ReplyDeleteExcept for my son, partner and dog that is!!