“Victor, we have to get out!”
Shari Shaw screamed as the night sky turned a fiery orange in the not-so-far-off distance, making its way closer and closer to her older brother’s bungalow.
“OK, let me just sit here for a few minutes,” he said.
But there was no time to waste…
Victor was diabetic and had been dealing with some breathing issues as well as balance and vision problems.
Shari, a graphic designer from Pasadena, knew it was going to take more time than usual to pack Victor’s things into her SUV and help him into the passenger seat.
And conditions were getting worse…
Locals had already called for evacuations in the area as the wildfires raged through the nearby county, forcing thousands of residents from their homes.
The local streets quickly backed up, transforming into a virtual “parking lot” and taking evacuees as long as 30 minutes just to travel a short 10 blocks.
Families trapped in fire’s path abandoned their vehicles in an attempt to flee on foot from the approaching flames as fire trucks dashed in to keep the blaze from overtaking the congested convoy.
Shari Knew She And Her Brother Were In Serious Trouble And That They Had To Act Fast But…
Victor’s First Response Would Soon Turn Into A Deadly Mistake Too Many Make When Danger Is Headed Their Way…
It was 7:30 p.m. and Victor Shaw, a 66-year old former courier, was sitting in his living room chair when his younger sister, 62-year old Shari, pulled into his driveway to help him pack up and leave.
Watching the local news, he’d become increasingly agitated by the reports and the video footage of the local Los Angeles wildfires.
At that time, the fire seemed like it was still far enough away that it wasn’t a dire emergency.
So, to calm his nerves, he’d taken the seizure medicine his doctor prescribed him and slowly drifted off to sleep in his chair while Shari gathered together his clothes and some personal items to take with them.
Shari continued to monitor the news while she finished packing up some personal items – wedding photos of their parents, Victor’s medications, his important documents and an overnight kit.
She had just finished up around 2 a.m. and went outside to load up her SUV when suddenly she saw flames on the nearby hillside.
Embers from the fire floated down all around Shari, and just a block away, a house started to catch fire.
She Raced Back To Her Brother’s House, Screaming For Him To Wake Up And Get In Her Vehicle! But Victor Didn’t Answer And…
Shari Was Forced To Make A Fast Decision That Would Save Her Life, But With Tragic Consequences…
Unable to wake Victor and with the fire’s embers raining down around her, Shari knew that if she didn’t get out of the area fast, they would both end up dead.
She jumped in and raced to the bottom of the street where she saw a police officer checking the neighborhood one last time.
But even as Shari begged for help getting her brother out of the house, the officer knew the fire was moving too fast and warned Shari not to go back to the home.
Shari, however, had to try one more time…
She began driving back to Victor’s house but half way up the street, the smoke was so thick that she couldn’t even see the road anymore.
Forced to turn around, she could only rely on her prayers that her brother would be safe.
It was 11 a.m. the next day when Shari and a friend were able to return to his home and go their answer lying in the walkway outside the front door of the charred remains of his home.
Victor’s Burned Body Was Was Still Holding The Garden Hose He Used In His Last Failed Attempt To Fight The Blazing Wildfire, And…
Shari & Victor’s Tragic Battle Should Serve As A Big Wake-Up Call To Anyone Facing A “Stay Or Go” Decision…
It’s never easy to leave your home – even when, to others, it may seem like it could end in a possible be a “death sentence”.
Shari and Victor learned this lesson the hard way.
You don’t have to.
Here are some critical things to keep in mind should you ever be facing a dangerous scenario that can literally mean life or death…
YOU Are Your Own “First Responder”
Frankly, it’s simply ignorant and disrespectful to force our brave first responders (like police, firefighters, and paramedics) to put their own lives in danger to rescue you because of your bad decisions.
And as Shari discovered, the smart ones AREN’T going to risk their lives for other people’s bad choices.
YOU are your own first responder in an emergency… which means you have to have the skills to back up your position if called upon.
Knowing what to do and having a “bugout bag” ready means you’re prepared to take fast, decisive action, reducing the risk to both yourself and the first responders who might otherwise risk their lives for you.
It’s Not Just YOUR Life You Endanger When You Fail To Take Fast, Decisive Action
Choosing to ignore evacuation orders can put not just your own life at risk.
Ignoring evacuation orders can also put loved ones at risk who, regardless of what you tell them to do, may still feel compelled to check on you or come convince you to leave…
… and then you both die!
Establish a clear, mutual understanding within your family about evacuations, and ensure everyone knows that that no one’s life will be jeopardized by hesitation or delay.
Disasters Don’t Discriminate, Watch The News, Or Care About Your Treasured Keepsakes
Disasters can change in an instant.
Just because a weather forecaster said the storm would “probably” not reach a certain strength… or because a fire is “still miles away”… doesn’t mean it won’t be at your doorstep much quicker than you think or cut you off from being able to evacuate at all.
Keep important documents updated and backed up on an SD card inside your bugout bag, ready to leave at a moment’s notice, ensuring that you don’t waste precious seconds.
Always stay informed through reliable sources—this knowledge could be your most crucial tool in making life-saving decisions quickly.
And remember…
…if you have to ask “Should I stay or should I go?”… there’s only one answer!
When Danger Strikes, Will YOU Be “Warrior-Ready”?
This is our Warrior Life motto for a reason…
You need to be “Warrior-Ready” for these types of crisis, and this includes not just your mindset and skills, but also your level of fitness.
Take it from Shari who said the following after the incident…
“Maybe I could have carried him?” she said. “Maybe some superpower hero power would overwhelm me — an adrenaline rush or something maybe would have kicked in?”
Look, I’m not saying you have to be a Navy SEAL with six-pack abs, but would you be able to drag your unconscious family member out of a burning building if you had to?
Get your ass off the couch and do something (anything!) to be fit enough to save yourself and possibly others who may need you in an instant to help them to safety.
One Response
A fellow worker I knew who was a seasoned kayaker ventured to close to a wing dam and was sucked under and unable to break free and surface. As a result he drown