I'm glad your friends are okay. They were very lucky.

When I go to bed, the pants (with belt) I'm wearing at the end of the day are laid across the arm of my dressing chair. They always have my current pocket knife, wallet, cellphone (unless it's charging), cash, coins, keys, lighter, and Wenger Pocket Tool Chest SAK, connected to an LED flashlight.

If the smoke alarm goes off while I'm sleeping, I can be dressed in about 15-30 seconds, and have everything I immediately need in my pockets. I can understand that for some people, emptying their pockets is an end of the day, or end of the work day ritual. The only time I empty my pockets is to load the pockets of the next pair of pants.

Women usually don't fill the pockets of their slacks, but put their necessary tools in their purse. So ladies, how far away is your purse when you go to bed? Just as important, do you keep it in the same place every night? Sue? You always have good comments.