in an emergency evacuation would you take your dolls?

I'm writing this before I read everyone's answers so that I can give a true answer.

My four cats would go, of course. And my laptop too, along with my external hard drive and a few other things.

All the dolls. All 25 (17 full and 8 floaters in The Headbasket) would go with me, especially if I have a trailer.

I can always rebuy clothes. both for them and for myself.

A couple of years ago when I still lived in Ohio, the weather took a real turn for the worst and it looked like a tornado was heading directly for where I was living. The tornado warning sirens went off and everything! As a native Clevelander, we're used to having tornadoes NOT head for us, since we're all (falsely) taught "Lake Erie protects us." They always hit further south of the Lake than Cleveland due to all the flat farmland once you drive way out past the city.

I grabbed the cats and put them in a carrier (I had only one carrier at the time), and then as carefully as I could put the dolls I had at the time into a blanket and took them in the basement to wait it out. Luckily, it dissipated before it hit Cleveland, but it was truly scary for a bit there!

Ryu

 

Ok, now that I've answered and am looking through everyone else's answers, I feel rather childish. I didn't even consider things like papers/documents, food, medication, toiletries, water, etc. I guess it's obvious I've never had to evacuate? Still, I stand by my answer of grabbing the pets, dolls, hobby stuff and some clothes. I can worry about the rest later when I get to a safe place, since it's easier to buy than the big stuff. I guess maybe documents would be important, but I wouldn't even know which ones to take. I totally fail at adulting.

 

After reading some of the comments, I would agree that I wouldn't save my dolls first. Family, pets and important documents would be first

 

I too didn't think of phone, meds, documents, food, and water. I'd also grab my marimo's aquarim bowl, because even though Roronoa's a plant, he means a lot to me.

Maybe I should make and keep a list of things to grab, just in case something like this happens.

I'm glad your brother and SiL are safe, auntbear. All the best to those in Canada that have to actually make choices like this. Stay safe.

Birju_Lachi, you have my sympathies.

Ryu

 

I would take anything I can't replace... so several dolls included. My purse is always with me, photo albums are organized and easy to grab dog is ready to go. But... I'm sure my husband would try to pack the house up. If there was any chance that we might be forced to evacuate, he'd probably rent a uhaul and be across states lines by now. He has trouble letting go of things.

 

My priorities would be:
- cats
- instruments (the most important ones anyway - two of my flutes, the piccolo, the antique lute, maybe the violin or celtic harp because they were gifts.) Luckily most of those are packed up by default because I need them for work.
- computer / hard drive
- dolls & the bag of last surviving plushies
- everything else, depending. Some clothes, toiletries, maybe other hobby / collectible stuff (I have some Star Trek things that are hard to replace due to the fact they're no longer being produced).

Luckily I don't have much paperwork stuff here anyway, but knowing me, I'd forget all about that anyway. I'm terrible with all things paper.

I think in an actual evacuation, trailer or not wouldn't make a difference regarding the dolls. I wouldn't bother packing them up in their boxes anyway, just wrap them up in a blanket or two - saves space and time. There's enough space in my car.
I used to play out scenarios like that in my head when I was younger. Looks like my priorities haven't changed much.

Edit: My driver's license, phone, and purse are in my backpack which I always take with me wherever I go, so I didn't list them. I'd probably forget my phone's charger, but I have one for the car which is in the car so can't be left behind by accident.

 

All of them? No. Not a chance... My first priority would have to be my cat, my birds, my main computer and a few absolutely irreplaceable things. (I have several late 17th and early 18th century books in my collection. I'm also the caretaker of my family's old photographs, dating back to the 1860's.) Those would go into the car before I even looked at any of the dolls.

Given sufficient space and time after the more important things were settled, I would try to save at least a few of them. My Shiwoo twins and their Okita counterparts, Kessari and Al, Kestrel and Cardinal, Teacup, Peregrine... Shonokin, probably. There's still no way I could take them all. I wouldn't even try. Most, for all the affection I have for them, could eventually be replaced.

 

I probably would, as a last-minute thing. I only have one, and he has a doll carrier I can sling around my body and wear while driving. But the first things I'd have to take would be the electronics my dad and I rely on (computers, communication devices, hearing devices), mine and my dad's prescription medicines, important documents, some of my mother's jewelry, mementos of my fur baby, antique books, some antiques from my grandfather, and a few other sentimental things. That would be if I really had time to pack a car.

In a dire emergency, I'd limit myself to grabbing my dad, our medicines, and our hearing aids, cellphones, and wallets. In the end, everything else is just stuff.

 

Well, if it was a pre-determined evacuation where there was plenty of time to pack and get out safely without question then sure I'd possibly take some of my dolls. But honestly if it was because I was genuinely afraid my home and property would be destroyed when I returned the dolls would be carried along because they are the only thing of significant value I own, and I'd be planning to sell them all to help get on my feet again.
Otherwise I would not risk the life of myself or anybody else to bring along trinkets in a serious crisis.
My dolls are pretty much my whole life, I don't say this because I don't love them. Let's hope it never happens!

 

I think maybe part of the reason I've been wanting to limit myself to one doll since I started this hobby is because I know my dolls are another thing that will take up space. If I have just the one doll then maybe I can just grab her up in an evacuation but I think most likely I'd leave her behind in the chaos.

 

I would probably take some, or all, dolls and a bunch of their clothes with me.
I don't have a lot of other things that are hard to get, expensive and/or important to me for some other reason, so after packing the bare necessities (i.e. clothes, food, the cat, documents, blankets etc.) I would still have a lot of space in a car for my computer, camera and a bunch of dolls.
I wouldn't put them in their boxes or anything though, would probably just wrap their hands and faces with bubblewrap and then stack them all into a big plastic container.
One of these huge blue trashbag for their clothes and they are good to go.

However, I would put my commissions or any "visitors" first
I could never, ever stomach the thought of someone else losing their dolls because of a tragedy happening to me.
Like, it's enough I have to suffer, I don't want someone else to go through the same.

In case of an immediate emergency (like a fire in our house or neighbour's house), I would get the cat, shove the commissions in a bag and run out.

 

I keep reading about documents/birth certificates/etc. Are you really that much in trouble in the States when you forget about it? Isn't your id enough to prove who you are and everything else can be found in computers?

 

Well it seems strange to leave important documents behind cause you only have one copy of your birth certificate and somebody might pick it up later and use it for identity theft. Plus if you ever want to renew your driver's license you'll need those documents.

 

That doll that cost as much as a small used car? Going w/me as I run out the door w/my computer & my 'important docs' file. The cats would be running out the door with me... Most of my dolls can be replaced (sob) and are insured. So I'd be a lot more likely to grab my Voudun priestess doll, & the box of doll clothes that I made. It all depends on how much TIME I had.

 

So I guess you use the birth certificate in a similar way for official stuff as the id-card or passport here in Europe.... Only difference is a picture of the person the document is from...

Tnx for clearing it up ^^

 

If I had the time, yes. I would take as many as my car would hold after my cats, my computer, they're the first thing to get packed. A lot of things like clothes, they're replaceable. Not all of my dolls would likely make it in, but any that were really expensive like the BJD's or rare, heck yeah they'd go. I'd probably leave behind a lot of older play line Barbies and stuff like that I could easily replace if I wanted to but the bigger dolls that are dear to me, the more pricey ones, the vintage stuff? They'd come with me and the cats.

 

I would take them if I could without risking my life. They cost so much. O_O

 

If it's more "you've got an hour to get out" urgency and not "we're gonna die if we're not gone in five minutes" level urgency, I'm totally taking my dolls, especially Niccolo. He would be the most difficult to replace.

But important documents, actual necessities, my computer/external harddrive, and my pets would go first.

Though my primary disaster fear is "the big one" earthquake they've been claiming will come to California for like over ten years (darn you geologic time!). Everything might just be crushed and destroyed and impossible to leave with. ;_;

 

Hello ^_^ Since I am a Typhoon Haiyan survivor (we lost our roof and our home was pretty much damaged) :'( I did not have a BJD back then but it taught me one valuable lesson: always be prepared. I only have two resin crew as of now (plus 2 incoming) after the Typhoon, I always sleep with a huge luggage bag under my bed where my dolls coas and clothes etc are in there. My dolls always are beside my bed. Apart from that, my clothes and other stuffs are also prepared always for possible evacuation.

 

If I have a good amount of time before I have to evacuate my home than sure, otherwise she'd just be another replaceable item. My priorities would be fiance, cat, fish & then whatever documents I could grab in a short amount of time (and medication, am asthmatic XD)