National Pet Fire Safety Day 2019
Each year, more than 500,000 pets are affected by house fires, with 1,000 house fires started by pets themselves.
Therefore, take a few minutes to ensure you are doing all you can to make sure your pets get out safely.
Preventing Your Pet from Starting a Fire
Never have unsupervised candles or fires in your fireplace. Flameless candles and enclosed fireplaces are better options to prevent open flames from causing trouble.
In addition, put covers over or remove stove knobs and discourage climbing in the kitchen. This can help prevent your pet from bumping up against a dial and accidentally filling your house with gas.
As your pets wander around the house, they may chew on loose wires. This can make areas with lamps and plugs possible fire hazards. Therefore, make sure to secure any loose wires and ensure they are out of reach from your pets. Also, never put a glass bowl on a wooden porch when outside, as the sun’s rays can heat the bowl and cause a fire on your wooden deck. Consider using a ceramic water bowl or stainless-steel dishes instead.
Preparing for a Fire with a Pet
Discuss with your family to determine an emergency plan that includes your pet. Make sure to practice this plan with so that everyone knows whose job it is to grab your pet and whose it is to grab your emergency supplies. Emergency supplies for your pet include the following:
- food
- medication
- water
- a photo of your pet
- leashes and carriers
- medical records
Knowing where your pet likes to hide and how to get them out of that hiding spot quickly can help as well.
Putting a decal or sticker in your home’s front window indicating the number and type of pets you have can be useful if you are unable to quickly retrieve your pet or are not home at the time of the fire. This can help reduce the time firefighters spend searching for your pet.
If your dog or cat escapes during the course of a fire, make sure the contact information on their collar and microchip is up to date. Lastly, to help ensure your pets get as much help as they can even when you are not home, install smoke detectors connected to emergency response services. Therefore, if your pet is home alone, should a fire occur, help can be signaled and dispatched.
What to Do During a Fire with a Pet
Your emergency response plan needs to include grabbing your pet’s leash or carrier as your grab your pet and escape the building. It will be chaotic outside of your home, and your pet may try to escape to a safer area. Therefore, it’s necessary to keep them nearby and secure.
If you are unable to locate or secure your pets, as much as you may not want to, leave, open the door, and call for them once you are outside and at a safe distance from the fire. Never delay escape or endanger yourself or your family to rescue your family pet. Once responders arrive, immediately inform them your pet is still inside so they can continue looking for your pet.
These are just a few pet fire safety tips for National Pet Fire Safety Day. Contact us here at All Pets with the link below for more information!
