After my family and 2 furkids, I'd grab my photo albums, paintings and then as many boxes of Christmas decorations (the memories of Christmases past!)as I could save.
I wonder what that says about me? Maybe, a very sentimental person with a passion for art?
Lynn

After DH and I grabbed ourselves and the pets, I think the next thing would be musical instruments. He would get his vintage Mark VI tenor and bari saxes, and I would get my Alexander descant horn that is the BEST playing horn I have ever had and just can't be replaced. We have a lot of other instruments, but these three are special and aren't made anymore.

After family and furbaby, I'd grab picture albums and jewelry that belonged to my parents and grandparents.

I guess I'm sentimental, too.

Noting unusual in my response - people, pets, photos......

...then inherited jewelry, but in reality that would be all of it since it is all together. The tough part would be the clocks - especially the grandfathers!

I'll have to ask my sons what THEY would like me to grab. I bet my oldest would want his childhood headboard/footboard but that's in the attic so it better be a small fire!!!

After hubby, birds and cats, I'd grab my laptop, a bin with the few treasures I have from my father and 2 framed pictures that my daughter made, one when she was only 9. I have access to most all of our other photos in my laptop. That's a really thought provoking question.

After the obvious, I'd probably take my laptop which also has a most of my photos, then several boxes of geneology I've been working on, along with an extra pair of underwear.

I read this last night and couldn't post a reply because I couldn't come up with anything. I figured that I just needed to mull it over. Then I realized that, after family and pets, everything else is just stuff. Even irreplaceable stuff --- at the end of the day it's still just stuff. If it means risking a life to get it, then let it burn. I'd be crushed to lose baby pictures and other mementos, but I'd get over it as long as my family was okay.

If I had time to gather anything after DH and anyone in the house, and, of course, the mega puppy, there's a large painting that a cousin did as an art student in the 1930s. She threw it in the trash. My mom retrieved it and kept it throughout her life. The cousin became a famous artist and art critic, but always hated that painting. It holds a place of honor above one our fireplaces. I'd grab that.

I am tensing up thinking about it!

People, pets, my glasses or contacts (I have a fear of not being able to see in the event of an emergency!), make sure I'm wearing shoes, any cash on hand, phone/laptop, jewelry then art.

This thread is reminding me I want to set up a virtual document deposit box.

My house is big and old. It would burn like a lit tinder box so honestly, if we get out it will only be because the sprinkler system saves us. I probably wouldn't try to save anything that wasn't alive. But if we get to have a fantasy fire that allows us time....I'd grab my jewelry because it's sentimental (gifts with memories) and probably the ugly little clay bowl that sits in the parlor next to a really nice bronze. The bronze is actual art...the ugly little bowl my son made for me this year in school (he's 5) and I love it far more than the fat nude LOL

DH says he'd save the wine LOL Priorities!

We actually just had a test of this by the way...we were at the blueberry hotel (if anyone remembers that) and at 3 am the fire alarms went off. DH and I nearly killed each other for setting the alarm that early and we pulled the clock out of the wall before we realized it was the hotel fire alarm. We dressed (idiots) and grabbed jewelry, car keys, the little guy and a six pack of formula.

People were outside for over an hour, most in their jammies, most forgot any keys. We had left out ID and cell phones, so had the place burned we'd have been screwed til we found friends in town. I suppose I could have hawked a ring LOL We were glad we grabbed the car keys though. And at least we didn't forget the baby! It was kind of an eye opener though as to what you really would do because in the moment...your brain is NOT Engaged!

I've thought of that before, and like others have mentioned, pets & people. I long ago learned to store the 'keepsakes' that I didn't want to lose in a big red tub in the closet by the door. Everyone knows if we have to evacuate, grab the red tub!

But I would probably grab my purse if we had to run out. Everything I would need in an emergency is in there.

I can answer that.

A year and a half ago on a Saturday morning I heard an explosion; I was about five steps from the front door and looked out in time to see a "flames blowing out out my neighbor's garage doors--he had just bought an old VW and had put it in the garage the night before; he walked out to get the paper that morning, his wife put clothes in the washer, the water heater in the garage fired up and.....BOOM! Flames everywhere. (leak in the fuel line)

I immediately called 911 and realized with trees and their roof on fire, my house could be on fire soon, too.

I grabbed the dog and the only other thing that I took with me--was the one thing that was already burned up.

My husband in a box.

Jewelry and photos didn't cross my mind.

DH and myself, and the two four-legged critters. Glasses and purse with ID. Hopefully the wills and other stuff in the fireproof lockbox would remain intact.
If I could grab only ONE other thing, it would be the quilt that my grandmother made me. Sentimental value only. The rest is just stuff. I started to say photos, but I have shared a lot of my children's childhood photos with them already, so I could make copies from theirs.

I'm with amj, everything is just stuff. I'd take our family and pets, nothing more.

After experiencing almost being hit twice last week by tornadoes and having to go to the cellar, we only think about human and pet life.

Panic sets in, and you don't even think about getting anything else out of the house.

Oh, I'd take a bottle of water because I get dry mouth during times like that!