You never know what the day will bring. Yesterday was one of those days like no other. It was the first day back to work at the day job after being off for 2 1/2 weeks. Morning time was pretty normal getting ready for work. Didn't have to wait for a train when I got to the subway. When I got off at my stop in the Village and came up the stairs, I immediately noticed it smelled like gas. I looked around and didn't see any Con Ed trucks or workers and no one else seemed too concerned so on I went to work. As I got closer to work I kept thinking, "Gee, the smell isn't going away." It was following me. Still, no one else noticed or cared. Must be me and my sensitive nose.

I got to work and walked in the building and thought, "Wow, the smell has followed me inside." I walked up the stairs to my office on the third floor and started the realize the smell was in the stairwell, I'm thinking, "Whew, this really does smell like gas. We're, going to have to evacuate the buidling." Now mind you , there was no sense of urgency on my part, just matter of fact. I hadn't been in my office for more than a minute when someone came running in to let me know we were evacuating the building because of a gas leak. "Okay." I went to the bathroom then grabbed my stuff and emergency bag then went down the stairs, out the door and then waited with other staff members across the street, waiting for instructions.

Now at this point, if you don't know me, I should let you know that I'm an RN and work in a school. I'm standing there, waiting and thinkng what a great way to start off the New Year. Then Mr. R runs over to me, very excited and says "We need you right away, someone just fainted." Great! And I thought it was going to be a quiet day. I walk quickly with Mr. R (never run - everyone gets a little too excited and panicky) around to the other side of the building. It's a teacher that fainted but she's already on her feet by the time I get there.

"Are you okay?"
"No."
"What happened?"
"I don't know, I was fine then I got really nauseous and dizzy. I think I was overwhelmed by the smell of the gas."

We started to move everyone to a nearby school.

"Can you walk?"
"Yes."

I escorted her the block and a half to the other school, asking all my nursey questions and dicovered she's not been well. So now I know that she's been under extra stress, on medication and still feeling dizzy and nauseous.

"I don't want to alarm you but under the circumstances, you need to be assessed by a doctor."
"I don't want to go to the hospital!"
Jeez, why do people have to be so difficult.

As it turned out, her doctor was a couple blocks away, so we assigned another staff member to take her so I could stay with the students at the school. Off she went. Once inside the other school, the students were split up by classes to three different areas. I stayed with the youngest students because I was concerend for them the most. The kids were great and no one panicked. Then it began.."so and so is not felling well, etc..." Knowing I wouldn't be able to be in three places at once I instructed the teachers if anyone was complaining, call their parents immediately and if it's an emergency to come get me. Luckily I only had to call for a couple of students to be picked up. Soon we were given the "all clear" to go back to our school. The students were wonderful, no one was upset or anxious. It all worked out well, just as I knew it would.

Today it's all a mystery. No one knows what caused the smell. Con Ed says it was not a gas leak. My favorite theory it was swamp gas from New Jersey. New Jersey denies any involvement. Terrorists? I don't think so. Another New York mystery/conspiracy to be solved.

As always,
TOO