Host Chat: Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Fires and more

Today's East Coast earthquake reminds me how many disasters I've lived through. In case you've ever been near me when a fire alarm goes off, here are some reasons why I'm always the first one running toward the stairs:
Quincy, Michigan, 5th grade: A house fire tears through our family home, forcing us to move into the Quality Inn hotel in nearby Coldwater.

This isn't my house, but this is similar what
our roof looked like during our 1988 house fire.

Coldwater, Michigan, 5th grade: A tornado blows into town, as my family and I are driving "home" to the Quality Inn. We watch in awe as a phone booth blows over.
Troy, Alabama, First month of college: Hurricane Opal hits campus. I see a traffic light whipping in the wind so violently that the power lines break, causing a fireworks-like explosion. 
New York, New York, First week of my grad school internship: As I'm getting ready for work one morning, my roommate's mother calls to tell us a plane has hit the World Trade Center. The burning building is visible from our apartment. 
I walk to the Fox News headquarters, where I'm working as an intern. I spend the rest of the day interviewing 9/11 survivors, many of whom narrowly escaped harm, and are covered in white dust.
Los Angeles, California, May 2009: I check in to an LA hotel to cover the American Idol season 8 finale. I suddenly feel the room shaking. Local news reports confirm it's an earthquake.
New York, New York, August 23, 2011: I hear creaking sounds in my apartment, as if the floor or walls are shifting. Then I feel myself rocking slightly from side to side. I think, "If I look up and the chandelier is shaking, I'll know this is an earthquake." I look up. The chandelier is shaking. 
CNN confirms an earthquake has hit Virginia, and has been felt as far away as New York City and Toronto.
In addition to witnessing a house fire, tornado, hurricane, terrorist attack and a couple of earthquakes firsthand, I've also covered disasters during my days as a news reporter, including a train derailment and flash floods. My takeaway from these experiences? Count my blessings, and always keep an eye on the nearest escape route.