At around 5am on July 5th the smoke detectors at the home of Steven Curtis Chapman rang the alarm and awoke the Chapman family. Steven was at home with wife Mary Beth and his three youngest daughters and jumped out of bed (barefoot) to try to locate the smoke and fire.

To his utter horror, Steven found the trash cans adjacent to the back corner of their home on fire and flames involving the family's home office. "I've never been in more of a panic in my life," Steven said last night in front of the boarded up broken windows. "Fire extinguishers saved the day, Jim, anybody that calls and wants to do a campaign for fire extinguishers, I'm there."

Two fire extinguishers the Chapmans had on hand and quick thinking by Steven and Mary Beth were the difference between a one room loss and minor smoke damage throughout the home... and something much, much more serious. The firemen on scene agreed, without those extinguishers the fire certainly would have spread quickly to other floors and the main part of the house before they could have arrived to the Chapman home, located a bit outside Franklin, TN.

The Chapmans are feeling so fortunate. All escaped the home safely, with Steven sustaining minor burns to his hands and feet from fighting the fire, prior to the fire department arriving on scene. And in this case, unlike the last time, thankfully insurance should cover all the damages. Many reading this blog would know that about 6 months after their youngest daughter Emily was born the Chapmans had an apartment fire completely destroy almost everything they owned.

You can't stand in front of a scene like that and not notice things like... how close the fire was to the propane grill tank, how close the fire was to the garage and the family cars. Further pondering... the SCC.com News Guru bought an additional fire extinguisher on the way home last night and checked his fire detector batteries. Would you do the same please? Other lessons learned... where are your family photos and important papers and are there copies somewhere else should anything happen to your home? Is your insurance up to date and do you have photos or video documenting your home's contents? end public service announcement here : ) Back on schedule and just what did happen last Wednesday Jim?... next blog.