If a fire started, What do you do?

[the 'stache]

All you guys with cards in fireproof safes, how do you account for temperature? I'd be just as worried about the cards burning, or the slabs melting all over the cards. Are these media safes?

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

All you guys with cards in fireproof safes, how do you account for temperature? I'd be just as worried about the cards burning, or the slabs melting all over the cards. Are these media safes?

I live in an apartment with firewalls, so, unless a fire started in my apartment itself I would not be too concerned with the heat. The primary purpose was to avoid water damage if the sprinklers went off.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by Bestdj777

I live in an apartment with firewalls...

Couldn't the fire spread through the attic though?

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

Couldn't the fire spread through the attic though?

I am on the 24th of approximately 30 floors. There was a massive fire in an apartment here a few months back, but the ones above it were fine and below it only suffered from water damage from what I recall. I don't even think the ones next door had much in the way of damage either.

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

All you guys with cards in fireproof safes, how do you account for temperature? I'd be just as worried about the cards burning, or the slabs melting all over the cards. Are these media safes?

I would be a 1 & 3 man myself. I've scanned all of my pictures and digitized family videos and have 3 off site back ups.

Bill, fire rated safes are typically rated for a certain temperature and time...ie can stand a 350 degree temp for 120 minutes or something similar. Prices typically vary accordingly along with size.

Z Wheat

[pawpawdiv9]

FYI guys..typical construction such as cement block is rated for 2 hrs and even stairwells are as well with usual core-board sheetrock and rock-wool insulation.
It can only stand so much, eventually the fire will get there....Its suppose to only give time to get out in a fire. Typical sheetrock wall, such in offices spaces are only 1 hr rated fire-walls and thats usually the corridors and maintance rooms.

I myself have 2 safes..one is a heavy but portable and the other is much larger, but weighs like 100 pds + for the bigger items ...and YES i do worry about them in a fire.

[Volod]

Years ago, after a divorce, i moved into a small ground-floor condo, where i felt i only needed to worry about fire or theft. So, after some thought, i decided to store my collectibles in an old beat-up cardboard box on the floor in a bedroom closet where i could grab it fast and run in the event of a fire. Some months later, i awoke to the sound of trickling water around four AM, and found three inches worth had flooded the entire apartment from a blocked storm drain. In a panic, i saw that the bottom part of the storage box was already soaked. Fortunately, i had thought to line the inside of the box with several layers of heavy plastic, which saved the contents. But, i was seriously annoyed that the possibility of such a sneaky and fast-moving threat had not occurred to me.

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by pawpawdiv9

I myself have 2 safes..one is a heavy but portable and the other is much larger, but weighs like 100 pds + for the bigger items ...and YES i do worry about them in a fire.

Don't worry Chris, your Exhibit Portrait and Post Panel are safe with me

[Exhibitman]

1. Insure it to value and let it all burn...

2. Pitch all those cases of 1990s wax that you still have into the flames then see #1.

3. Pick up the check.

[sycks22]

I'd go with family and old photo albums, everything else can be replaced.

[tulsaboy]

After family and photos, I have a couple of heirlooms that I would pitch out the window. I also collect some vintage airplane photos and manuals that I know to be one of a kind. I would grab those as well.