On January 1, 2021, at 830 pm it was pouring down rain in Oxon HIll, Md. Normally I love when it is pouring rain and I can hear it hitting the window. I was sending out emails last one being sent at 802 pm, I thought to myself I am going to develop good sleep habits for the New Year, so I will get ready for bed. I was about to take my sleep medicine but was too lazy to get up so I just sit in the chair listening to the rain. Little did I know my laziness would someday pay off lol. Had I taken my medication and gone to bed, I literally would have lost my life in my sleep (from smoke inhalation). I had no idea that the building next to me was ablaze, and the apartment over me was completely engulfed in flames! As I was folding my computer and deciding to get in bed, I hear get out of the building there is a fire! My recliner was near the door I jump up with flip flops on and run to the door felt it wasn't hot so I opened it, and when I did I was hit in the face with thick black, smelly smoke! I closed the door and ran in the opposite direction toward my bedroom with my computer still in hand. I thought I would follow my fire plane and jump out the window! when I get in my bedroom I remember everything looking blurry I thought it was my sight without my glasses, but that was not the case it was smoke. I grab my coat jumped in my uniform pant backward and ran to the living room looking for another exit, my balcony was part of my fire plan, but I just didn't plan on jumping with gray smoke and fire falling. I could still hear my neighbor yelling get out!! I ran to the door again, and if I have ever heard the voice of God I heard it on Jan 1, 2021 when I was about to go out the door I heard put your shoes on, which allowed me to stop! and calm myself (not a grand voice just a whisper put your shoes on) holding on to the wall to put my shoes on finally made me realize I still had the computer in my hands so I dropped the computer put my shoes and open the door! That was a miracle #1. I know I can hold my breath for 47 seconds I swim:), so I still hear my neighbor so I thought I will just have to follow her voice, but in all the black smoke I look up at a window over the exit door and I see a gray hand waving to me to come out!! so I followed my neighbor's voice, jumped down the few steps! had I not seen what I thought was her hand I would have been frozen stiff! turns out she was outside of the exit door yelling but she was much to short for it to be her hand Miracle # 2, makes me shiver just to think about it!! had I not had on shoes, I might have had 2 broken ankles or landed on the wet pavement, had I not seen the hand I would have been frozen stiff! it was such an awful fire it looked like a red cross commercial you know the one (pouring rain raging fire) and the red cross there in the midst of it all. The fire raged from 830 pm until close to 11 pm even in the pouring rain. 63 to 65 off use lost our apartment homes that night, but there was not one life lost! There was a terrible accident, I believe a person had a heart attack and hit another car during all of this. At 11 the fire was still going on but under control thanks to the Oxon Hill fire department, Andrews Airbase fire department, and Alexandria Va fire department!, I was told that over 100 fire persons were working to put it out and I am thankful! without them, it would have been worse.
At around 11 pm that night we all met in the recreation room and the red cross was there just like in the commercial. They handed out water and snacks and blankets. They interviewed us and made sure we had lodging for the next three nights although I have insurance that night I was so exhausted it was so nice not having to find a hotel, especially on a rainy night. We stayed at the Comfort Inn on Oxon Hill rd, check-in was so easy (remember everyone did not have time to get their wallet ie., Id or car keys and we were not allowed to go into the apartment that night to unsafe. So having the Red Cross pave the way was Miracle #3 I truly felt wounded. The lead Red Cross coordinator met us at the hotel, and arrange breakfast for the next morning!
The next day we got a call telling us, lunch was ready for pick up and dinner was a very nice hot meal. Surprising how much you take for granted, I lost my very expensive progressives and was having a hard time seeing at night the Red Cross sent me a voucher to get glasses! All they did was without asking for anything in return. Readers we are living during a pandemic and all other types of emergencies and the one thing that is consistent in this world is that the Red Cross will always rise to the occasion! I depended on them in the Army to keep me connected to my family. That was in the 80s' and now in 2021, they are still a very relevant part of our society! If you want to make sure your donated dollars are put to good use you can not go wrong with the Red Cross,
until next review; glad to be alive, to review,
VJ read more
