Coffee Shops and Fire Training

 I am given to understand that if I avoided coffee shops I would have been comfortable in retiring by now.  This I doubt though they do seem to be getting a little pricey these days.  I also wonder about my sanity.  I started the week by leaving the house at 5.20am, arrived at the office between 8am and spent most of the morning doing admin or answering questions for everyone else.  By 1pm, despite the need for me to actually get on with my own stuff that had been hanging around too long, I needed a bit of a boost.  That was not likely to be immediately achieved from the tin of tomato soup or three bottles of water hiding out in my desk drawer.  Caffeine was required and the coffee percolator that had been keeping warm in reception since before 9am was not looking attractive.  Can coffee stew?   Anyway Costa it was to be via the dry cleaners and the Coop to pick up S’s trousers and a bread roll to go with the aforementioned tomato soup.

In order to get out of and then back into the office I had to complete the new signing in/out book.  I wondered briefly whether the tomato soup and a bottle of water might do it after all.  On Tuesday, I confess I stayed at my desk rather than go through the performance.  This was repeated on Wednesday.  There is a little overhaul of our fire safety procedures going on.   It is probably a good thing but most of us heading in on my side of the office enter/leave via the side/staff entrance (unless we are opening/closing up and setting the alarm).  We now have to detour via reception.  At peak hours it’s going to be crowded and, in the event of a fire, my money (and not just mine I am given to understand) is on the ledger being left behind as we all pile out of the building, which rather defeats the object.  Still the box is ticked.   

The nearest exit to my room in a hurry, ie the window in one of my colleague’s room, was looking attractive as an emergency option.  We then identified that the route along which we would have to pass in order to actually get to safety passes by a neighbouring business’s store of gas bottles.  Maybe not.  

Tuesday we had a fire inspector in.  At just the moment that my desk looked like a paper bomb had exploded he wanders in wanting to take a photo.  Hmmmm!  I see me being an example in the making here.  

Apparently he is going to run an on-line course for us all.  Nothing I love more than a mandatory on-line course.   I can put my hand on my heart and promise that I will not spray an electrical fire with water.  In fact I can promise that, while there is a clear path between me and an external door, I will not hanging around for any heroics.  Clear egress available I have noted where the fire extinguishers are and what they are for.  This process is being taken seriously and toeing the appropriate line in such circumstances tends, in my experience, to be easier than pushing against it. 

The last time I had serious fire training was a while back and given by an office manager who was formerly in the Navy.  It had been imprinted in him that not putting a fire out would result in wet feet (and a whole lot worse I imagine).  He was keen to pass the message on.   We had (very) regular fire drills (at sensible times ie 10am - 11.30am or 2.30pm to 4pm) in that office, which were always complied with as graciously as we could muster.  That is right up to the time when most were just coming in shortly before 9am or, having got in and sorted, were trying to get out to meetings/courses etc.  The car parks were filling up and essential information was being exchanged in the kitchens while the kettles were boiling.  Flipping inconvenient timing was the general view and there was much “well I am just putting this in my room/on my desk”, “I need the loo first”, “just let me get my tea bag out of the mug” etc.  Obviously that was the one and only genuine incident.  Builders had caused a (very minor) fire in the roof space.  The firm’s fire Marshalls were in their element in their high vis, clutching their clip boards.  The rest of us not so much.  Could have been timing, could have been wolf crying fatigue!

I shall put my mandatory on-line course down to life long learning mindful that my employer has to pay for the privilege for so that my colleagues and me being able to tick a box for them.