What are you grabbing in case of a fire?

The horrific scenes coming from Southern California are jarring.

Watching hundreds of homes burn as fire rages through thousands of acres fueled by dead trees and brush and the Santa Anna winds.

A video with millions of views already this morning: two men and a dog seemingly trapped by the fires that have engulfed the area surrounding a home. We've heard they were able to escape safely.

The sound and orange light from the raging inferno are unsettling. I don't think I'd be taking video if facing the same situation. That said, it's a grim reminder of the terrifying nature of fire, especially if you are caught off guard.

The question we raised to the audience this morning is what would you grab as you escaped?

Friends of ours had their home destroyed by fire recently and they were fortunate to get out of the home with the clothes on their back.

I'm now rethinking the way we store our important documents. Is the fireproof safe going to last? Some disclaimers show most would only last a half hour in a situation with intense heat.

The average home fire reportedly burns around 1,000 degrees, and can be up to 2,000 degrees depending on the material in your home. Most of the fireproof safes I've seen online protect up to 1,550 degrees.

I'm going to be shopping this week.

Question for you is what would you grab on the way out? I'd grab my passport, credit cards, car key and phone. Thinking I need a grab bag near our bed in case.

How about you? Hit us up on the free New Jersey 101.5 app and tell us the one critical thing, after family, pets, keys and wallet that you would grab on the rush out.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own.

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