Protecting your pets in a fire event

11/25/2020 (Permalink)

Here's how to keep your furry friend safe during a fire.

In a fire emergency, how would you attend to your beloved pets? Do you know how to help them escape the threat of growing flames? Those sparks can quickly turn to a larger blaze, threatening their safety. In order to help out your four-legged friends (and other critters), you should prepare ahead of time, creating a plan and escape route. As a pet owner in Fallbrook, CA take time now to care for your animals' protection.

Plan Ahead

As you sit with your family members to discuss emergency procedures, talk about pet preparation. Here are a few suggestions to present:

Keep animals, their beds, and cages, near the exits.
Place a window cling with pet information on a window near the front of the house. Firefighters could use the information to help rescue animals left on the premises. Provide names, descriptions, and favorite hiding spots.

When practicing fire emergency procedures, have kids attempt to remove the pets. Remind your children, though, that they should never put themselves in harm's way. If they cannot get to the animal in a timely fashion, it's best to vacate and let the professionals look for them.

Store leashes and collars near the door.

Don't let a fire be the first attempt to think of how to assist your pets.

Create Safety Zones

Animals are a leading cause of house fires. After all, they don't understand safety procedures like you do. Therefore, establish some consistency. Stopping flames, essentially, is a major step in pet safety. Avoid using candles in the home. Cats and dogs don't understand that they can cause problems. As they run around or catch a toy, they can knock it over unintentionally. Another item to consider is stove knob protectors. When owners aren't home, larger canines could or wandering felines could turn on the stove. Finally, install gates that maintain safe areas.

Your pets are important to you, so sit down as a family and include them in your fire emergency plans. Organize your home to find them easily, and establish codes that keep everyone protected. You can snuggle with them while the fire restoration company works to repair any damage.