One Positive Example of Being Seen as a Leader

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GiantHockeyFan
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25 Feb 2016, 8:04 am

I was just dwelling on the negatives of being an Aspie and thought I would counter it with a more positive message. A few months back the fire alarm went off in my building. There was smoke in the halls so it wasn't a false alarm. Turns out, there was a fire just outside my apartment building under a balcony. Nothing TOO major but it was out of control and the flames were about 10 feet in the air. It looked like a box of old office furniture that probably got ignited by a cigarette tossed from the balcony. My apartment complex has about 30 units so it's not too big (my old one had over 300) but amazingly people actually came up to me and allowed me to lead. I grabbed the extinguisher and could not get the fire out so I directly someone to grab the second extinguisher. I then called 911 and explained the situation (I live right next to a fire station) and they finally came and put it out. The Fire Captain (thinking it was just a routine small garbage bin fire) mentioned how it could have been much worse if not for someone's quick thinking. The whole building smelled of smoke for hours after that.

As we got the all clear, a number of people thanked me for 'saving them' and directing them where to go. I always struggle getting anyone to listen to me in general so it was nice that everyone fell back and let me take command of the situation until the FD arrived. All in all only about $100 of damage occurred. I always though due to my severe anxiety I would be a wreck in a real emergency but I was able to keep calm, followed the proper procedure, take control and got everyone away from danger. Not bad for an Aspie!



kraftiekortie
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25 Feb 2016, 10:09 am

Yep....We Aspies can be useful, too!

Aspies do have the tendency to be cool in emergencies. A very useful attribute, I always say!

I commend you for doing what you did.



zkydz
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25 Feb 2016, 10:38 am

Oddly, I'm a mess when it comes to small things. But in emergencies like that I just go into problem solving mode.

Back in the Navy days, when doing war ops, we would actually have people come running in with prosthetics, squirting 'blood' and screaming. It would freak people out and made some sick. I wound up being the emergency med guy in the sonar shack because I would just perform the actions to 'save' the crew member.

However!! !

At the same time, I was petty officer of the watch one day in port. We had a security drill, which meant we went into lockdown. My job was to secure the gangplank and pull my .45. We were to not let anybody on or off ship. So, I go to the gangplank and stand there with my .45 pointed in the air.

All the crewmembers below on the pier were making fun of me. Then the guard mail came. That was all the secure mail to and from the ship. According to the 'rules' that meant no difference as I had not been told it was a drill.

One of the gunner's mates came running up. Protocol is this:

Yell halt, pull clip from belt.

Yell halt again, clip the .45, aim.

Yell halt, take off safety and if no halting, shoot. Period. Shipmate or not.

We....he didn't halt. I was a trembling mess of goo. This guy slept on the other side of the divider from me. He runs up, slaps the .45 out of the way and threatens me. Not for failing at my duty (Which I did spectacularly) but because I had done my duty up to shooting him.

The officer of the deck came out and got in his case because he was supposed to wait and he was lucky he was alive (Because I was such a wuss). Caught crap for that for weeks.

Stupidity though. That safety was off, and his hitting my hand could have discharged the weapon. I failed spectacularly in my duty to my country on that and many other days. I was not a good service person.


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kraftiekortie
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25 Feb 2016, 10:40 am

I glad you were a wuss in this instance. There's a man alive because you were a wuss.



BeaArthur
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25 Feb 2016, 2:31 pm

GiantHockeyFan wrote:
I always though due to my severe anxiety I would be a wreck in a real emergency but I was able to keep calm, followed the proper procedure, take control and got everyone away from danger. Not bad for an Aspie!

Hey, way to go, Giant Hockey Fan! You're a cool dude.


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