When a fire hits, sense may flee

REGARDING the story about the fires and the things people save when they are evacuated from their homes [“Stuffing a Lifetime Into a Suitcase,” Oct. 25]. Seems a woman forgot her three cats and had to go back to retrieve them; believing that the evacuation center would not allow animals, she brought them to the home of a friend. The piece goes on to assure us that some centers do allow them, “as long as the animals are in crates, but officials recommend leaving them in the home with food, water and your contact information.”

I cannot help but wonder which officials would deem a neighborhood unsafe for humans while at the same time recommending that domesticated animals be left possibly to die of smoke inhalation or by fire.

Marjorie Loring Gauley

Newbury Park

Editor’s note: Please see related story on Page 2.

--

WHEN the Old fire swept through the mountains near Lake Arrowhead in 2003, we had little time to gather what we could. Of course our pets came first. Next I grabbed family photos, important papers and clothing. With a few inches left in my car, I took my grandmother’s silver flatware. My husband took the most important possession he could think of -- his boxed set of “Rocky and Bullwinkle” DVDs!

Dory Lewis Topanga