Got an email from a coworker (names scrubbed) …

Sunday morning 2/7/09, at around 3:00 am, the Smith family house was completely destroyed in a devestating fire. Thankfully, all family members made it out in time. Rick is still in the hospital with some broken bones and the youngest is being treated for smoke inhalation.  

I have had several requests for information so that friends and coworkers may send flowers or cards and asking for other ways that we can help. Rick’s daughters and his wife are busy working to begin rebuilding their lives. To help with this, I’ve set up a site to submit donations to the family to help with the cost. Any money you decide to send will be used towards purchasing new clothes, toys, items for personal hygiene and anything else they need.  

I would also like to ask any of you with photos or mementos you may have to share to send them my way. While we can easily help with the necessecities, nothing can replace the personal items.  

Whatever you can do to help is greatly appreciated. Click on the link below to submit your donation via Paypal or with any credit/debit card.

First off, it’s amazing that you can throw up a PayPal thing so quickly to gather up donations for a worthy cause like this. Second — it’s amazing how quickly a family’s life can be changed. Yes, it’s something you know … but you doesn’t know it until you’ve actually encountered it with friends, family, or yourself.

The story is described here. It does make me think of all the fire safety things we should be doing at home — getting more documents into the fire safe, drills, making sure alarm batteries are up to date, getting (more) disposable ladders for second floor evacuations …

Just a scosh scary.