Hello, Mr. Firemen!

When our carbon monoxide (CO) sensor went off this afternoon, I picked up String Bean (who was out cold taking nap) and went outside. That is when I started laughing because I realized that the public service announcements tell you to get out, but do not really elaborate on what to do after you leave the house.

I tried to call Mr. Bean, but he didn't answer, so I did the next best thing. I called the 85 year old lady who lives upstairs. She laughed and agreed she didn't know what to do either. We decided we'd walk over to the Fire Department (at the end of our driveway basically) and ask them what to do.

Once we got there, they called it in and told us they'd meet us at the house. We walked back home and soon heard and saw the fire truck behind us. Really, Mr. Firemen? A fire truck is required for you to walk into my house with a hand held meter and check the CO levels?! And it takes 3 of you? Must be a slow day at the firehouse. (Interestingly, when they arrived, I got to hear my emergency call go over the radio...not that it was an emergency...nor did I call.)

Upon arrival at our house, one of the neighbor's sons (a 20-something) frantically came running out of the building telling us that the fire alarm was going off in the corner unit and no one was answering the door. About then I think he saw the huge fire truck following us. It is nice to know that the neighbor was concerned enough to bang on our door and then run out to try the windows to see if anyone was inside. Thanks, neighbor.

One fireman took the levels of CO with his handy meter. One looked talked to the 85 year old I brought along, and the third took our alarm off the wall. I asked him if he was impressed that I'd left a step stool for him to reach the alarm with. He was. Says that does not happen very often. (I'm here to serve!) He then lectured me on what a bad alarm we have. Well, Mr. Fireman, it did go off and alert us to a problem, so it can't be all bad.

Ends up our oven is emitting a large amount of CO whenever we open the door. Although the levels themselves were not very high in our condo when they arrived (our door had been wide open for a period of time prior to their arrival), the levels were off the charts when they opened the oven. A repairman will be visiting tomorrow and charging us an arm and a leg to look at it and possibly fix it.

I guess this is a good excuse to put off baking for Christmas for another day or two (depending upon when that repairman shows up tomorrow).

False Alarm

1:30 am. I woke up from a deep sleep because I heard a noise that penetrated our front door, our bedroom door, and could be heard over the hum of our fan. The fire alarm was going off. We looked in the hallway and neither saw smoke or smelled it. Since we are on the first floor of our building, we figured we'd be OK if we waited until the Fire Department showed up or we smelled smoke (besides we have a back door, ground floor exit).

We looked out the window and sitting in our backyard at one of the picnic tables was a man with a mustache. His mustache was glowing in the dark.

I would have thought I was dreaming all of this except a neighbor asked me what the deal was with the fire alarm in the middle of the night. Found out it was a malfunction in a sensor on one of the other floors.

My family should rest well knowing I hear the fire alarm in the middle of the night.