I CALLED 911 ON MY BIRTHDAY!
Do you remember yourself when you happily blow the candle off while singing a happy birthday song after a brownout? Well, mine was different.
November 24, 2020
It was early morning when my mom wakes me up with a kiss while greeting me with a happy birthday. After that, she told me to sweep the floor before facing my laptop screen to do my academic requirements.
It went smoothly that I did not receive any scolding coming from her. Here comes 8 AM when our instructor posted that she will be giving a quiz to us during our class schedule. I reviewed my notes and watched our past class session meetings to refresh my knowledge of the given topics on the quiz.
When I opened the USTeP (Our university’s online platform for flexible learning), it says that I cannot access the site. I started panicking because there are only a few minutes left before the quiz. I edited some settings on my network and restarted my computer, then it just did not work. I calm myself for a bit, clicked the advance option, and proceeded to USTeP, tada!
Fast forward, I was able to access the USTeP, took the quiz, and was time-pressured. I managed to get 15 correct answers out of the 19 items quiz. Well, it was not bad after all.
It also turns out that my classmates also have concerns with the platform and the quiz. I also replied to some greetings on my messenger after the quiz. Then, I opened a message saying that our instructor will meet us at 11 AM. I expected that I will just have a quiz for this day but then I have some more academic requirements to do.
Our class ended at around 12 noon, then my tita texted me “CALL ME. ASAP”. Not knowing what the reason is all about, I hurriedly called her, she utterly spoke words in a crying and worried tone, “Ate wala ko kabalo sa akong buhaton naay sunog atbang sa amoa.” (I don’t know what will I do, there’s a fire in front of our house!)
I hurriedly called my mom after hearing those words. All of our neighbors were shouting, “Sunog! Naay sunog sa tabok” (Fire! There’s fire!)
My brother went out and said, “Dako kaayo ang sunog sa tabok, dapit ila tita. Dako na kaayo ang aso.”
Disclaimer: Our house is just a few meters away from our tita’s house.
My mom told my brother to help our tita pack their things out, I also ask my mom if I could go with my brother but she said no, as she will go with my brother to help.
I was then stuck at home, and thinking if what other things I could help with. My sister and I hurriedly searched for numbers and call different fire stations in Cagayan de Oro City.
I quickly called 911 on my phone while my mom was asking me hurriedly to get her face mask, with that I was in a moment of panic.
An agent answered and asked what the concern is all about and I said there’s a fire with the said address. The agent can really feel my voice is shaking so she said that she will immediately call the fire station.
Us hearing no loud sound from a fire truck, we kept on calling the different fire stations and even police stations to ask for help. Later on, the electricity went off and I heard a loud sound coming from a fire truck. Thank you, Lord!
It was around 1 hour and 30 minutes when my mom and siblings came back to our house. The fire is gone! Thankfully our tita’s house was not affected by the fire incident, but it caused casualties to their neighbors.
I was doing other house-chores while waiting for the electricity to come back and my mom was also busy preparing meals for the family to share later to our dinner. She also asked me if I could buy the cake in the mall since she was busy preparing things for later.
I took a bath and prepared myself then. Before heading to the cake shop, I first headed to the church and have some me-time with the Almighty.
Hoping that when I get home, electricity will come back, I spent some more time in the mall. My phone vibrated, the screen flash with a 5% battery life, my mom was calling. I immediately answered and she said, “Asa naman ka? Uli na tabangi ko.” (Where have you been? Come home and help me.)
So I hurriedly went home and turns out the electricity was not yet back. It was around 6 PM when all my relatives arrived at our house.
For our photo opportunity, all my relatives turned on their flashlights (Well, except for those who are out of battery), and after that, they sang happy birthday to me and advance to my mother and sister, we then blew the candle together, and had our dinner.
Well, it turns out that the brownout did not hinder our birthday celebration. It made our eyes looking up and talking to each other face to face, instead of facing down to our gadgets to communicate with one another.
I did not expect to experience calling 911 because I never dream of any tragedy that will happen.
To all who greeted me, I’m sorry if I was not able to respond to your greetings during my day. The electricity did not come back until 11 AM the next day. I am very happy and I highly appreciated all the greetings from all of you.
Cheers to my 20 years!
