MEDIA CONTACT: Diane V. Cunningham, Assistant to the PIO, 301-883-5222
On the morning of Monday, November 7, 2011, Robin McClain
awoke to a chill in her home. She arose
and went into her sister’s bedroom to put more wood on the smoldering embers in
the fireplace. Upon entering the room,
her sister told her she smelled smoke. Ms.
McClain believed the smell was coming from the fireplace and expressed to her
sister the same. However, her sister,
described by Robin as having “a very keen nose,” was quite adamant that it was
not coming from the fireplace but somewhere in the house. Because Robin neither saw nor smelled smoke, she
did not give it anymore thought.
After placing more wood on the fire, Robin left her sister’s
bedroom and proceeded to the kitchen and immediately noticed smoke emanating
from the vent. Within a few seconds, the
smoke alarm sounded. Knowing the layout of her home, she surmised the smoke had
to be coming from the cellar. She wondered
if perhaps damaged wiring might be the cause of the smoke. Arriving at the cellar, which could only be
accessed from the outside, she opened the door and saw the flames. Robin shut the door and quickly ran back to
the house to alert her sister and call 9-1-1.
Her sister, who had initially smelled the smoke and then heard the smoke
alarm alert, was already outside. By
now, the flames were leaping up around the window at the front of the house.
Before that fateful morning, Robin McClain had lived in her
home in Cheverly for 30 years without incidence. Twenty-six of those years she operated an
in-home business, Sweet Bobbie’s Cake Creations. Robin is famous for her “nonfat, low
cholesterol” cakes that are made without milk or butter. She even bakes vegan and gluten-free
cake. Robin boasts of a sizeable
clientele so loyal, some who have moved away to other states have their cakes
shipped to them. When I arrived for our interview, there was a plate of
different cake samples awaiting me. My
order was placed before leaving her home.
During her 26 years in business, Ms. McClain accumulated a rather
extensive collection of tools for her craft.
Many of the items were purchased, some gifted, and a few likely passed
down through her family. But, fire is neither
a respecter of person nor property; and all in its wake will be
destroyed—regardless of its value, sentimental or otherwise. Everything pertaining to her business and
nearly all of her other possessions were lost as a result of smoke and fire
damage. As terrible as that sounds, it
could have been much worse.
Robin McClain’s first warning came from her sister, who
smelled smoke. The smoke emanating from
the kitchen vent and the simultaneous sounding of the smoke detector were her
second warnings. No one can say with certainty
if Robin and her family would have made it out of the home in time had the
fire occurred during the night when the family was sleeping. It is certain, however, that their chances of
escaping unharmed were significantly increased because there was a working smoking
alarm in the home. Actually, the
McClain’s chances were even better because the family had on numerous occasions
discussed a plan of escape in the event of a fire at their residence. Each family member was well versed in the
route they would take to get out of the house, as well as where they would meet
to make sure every member was accounted for.
In appreciation of the Fire/EMS Department’s efforts to
educate the community on the benefit of having a working smoke alarm in
their home, Robin McClain visited the Chapel Oaks Fire/EMS Station
838 and personally donated 4 battery-operated smoke alarms. “I hope my donation will give one or two
families a better chance for survival should they experience a home,” she said.
County residents may request a smoke alarm and have the life saving device installed in their home, free of charge, by calling, 301-864-SAFE (7233).
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