Small Details Are Important

It is amazing how the small things really make a difference. Just imagine being on the second floor of a building and the fire alarm goes off. You're thinking no problem just head for the nearest staircase, walk down and head outside right?

Now imagine that you are in a wheelchair or better yet you are pushing your mother in a wheelchair and sitting in the doctors office on the second floor for a normal visit and the fire alarm goes off, now what? Did you know that when a fire alarm goes off the elevators stop working.

Yes this afternoon I had my mom at her doctor and the fire alarm sounds, not a drill but a true alarm and I am trapped on the second floor with my mother in her wheelchair. So here I am with one of the nurses trying to figure out if it is a real fire and if so how we are going to carry my mom down the stairs. Just then another nurse comes running up and says that it is just burnt toast and the fire department is on the way.

So good news we won't die in a fire this afternoon, but it sure was a wake up call for the clinic's staff, what would they have done if it has been a real fire? Now we end up standing there with our fingers in our ears (the alarm is still going off) while we wait for the fire department to come for about5 minutes. Thankfully they turn off the alarm, however they can't get the elevator restarted we have to wait for the elevator man because no ones knows what to do. Did I tell you that the elevator man is in Redmond?

We go back into the exam room and finish up our appointment and then wait. And wait. And wait. 45 minutes later the elevator guy shows up and we get to leave the 2nd floor and he trains the clinic staff on how to restart the elevator. Did I tell you I had taken my lunch time to take my mom to the doctor, now that's a long lunch.

So, it is true the small details really matter.