I heard the sirens wailing--first one, then two and three in rapid succession--their horns blared and cut across the fog of my Monday morning eyes. Then I looked out the window: A building just a few hundred feet from brass headquarters was going up in smoke.

Fires are scary, made even more so by their unpredictability. Many of us have probably seen a campfire throw an ember from its pit and burst a nearby leaf into flames. But seeing the building's roof darken, slump, and fall into the charred chasm of what used to be someone's bedroom served as a reminder: be prepared for emergencies.

First, make sure you have working smoke alarms that are properly powered (that means fresh batteries or a secure electrical connection). Replace smoke alarms every 8 to 10 years, replace the batteries yearly and check both monthly. And remember: you're twice as likely to survive a fire in residences with working smoke alarms.

In the Summer issue of brass|MAGAZINE, we urged you to get renters insurance if you don't own your place: compare the couple hundred dollars per year it costs to the cost of replacing all your possessions, and you can see why it's a smart idea. You can find more information at netquote.com or esurance.com, and check with your car insurance provider as they may provide a "muliple line" discount.

If you have important documents, make sure you know what to do with them. Back in '08 we advised that certain documents (like a birth certificate) should be placed in a safe deposit box. Trying to get on with your life after a disaster is hard enough without having to prove who you are. For other documents you might need more frequently, like a social security card, consider a fire-proof safe. A museum in Alberta, Canada found out the hard way: lacking any fire-proof storage, the artifacts that did escape damage did so with an enormous amount of luck. If you have any photos, certificates, or other heirlooms that you wouldn't want to let go of, make sure they're properly protected.

While a fire may catch you off guard, take these steps to make sure you (and your finances) make it out okay. For more information, visit firesafety.gov, and be safe.

--Brandon

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