Fire and Pets

3/19/2019 (Permalink)

According to the United States Fire Administration, an estimated 500,000 pets are affected by fires annually. Unfortunately, pets knock over candles and turn on stoves starting over 1,000 fires a year. We here at SERVPRO of Texarkana love our pets, so we’ve put together some tips to help you both prevent and plan for a fire with your pet.

Prevention

As always, prevention is the number one way to make sure your pet is protected against a house fire.

• It seems like a no brainer, but make sure all open flames are extinguished before you leave your home or go to bed. Cats are notorious for knocking over lit candles.
• If your stove has knobs, take them off before you leave or go to bed at night. You can also use covers like the ones you’d use for baby proofing. This prevents animals from accidentally turning something on.
• Our pets enjoy warmth during the winter just as much as we do! However, it’s important to keep their bedding and toys away from open flames like fireplaces.
• As always, make sure you’ve got working smoke alarms!
• If your pet likes to chew, keep electrical cords out of reach. A pet could chew a wire and cause a short that starts a fire.

In the Event of a Fire

Sometimes, though the unthinkable happens and your house does catch fire, here are a few things you can do to make sure your pet is safe.

• Your pet should wear a collar with identification tags at all times in case they get lost during the fire.
• If you haven’t already, get your pet microchipped. In the event they aren’t wearing their collar, or they manage to wiggle free of it, they can be easily identified and returned to you.
• If there’s a fire while you’re not home, make sure your neighbors know how many pets you have and their names. If you trust them enough, you can even give them a spare key to use in the event of an emergency.
• Get a sign for your window! Many places offer signs to let firemen and rescue workers know you have pets in your home.
• Have a pet emergency kit available. Some things you’ll want to include are food, water, a toy, first-aid kit, leash, treats, medication, and any important documents you may need.
• When testing your smoke alarm, or when vacuuming, try and see where your pet goes to hide when they’re scared or in distress. This information will make it easier to evacuate with your pet and can let firefighters know where your pet is in the event of a fire. 
• Have an escape plan put into place that includes your pet, and practice it.
• Keep leashes and crates by the door so if there is a fire your pet can be rescued easily, and you can evacuate easily too.
• Train your pet to come when called – it’ll make evacuation and rescue a breeze.

If you and your pet have been affected by a fire, we at SERVPRO of Texarkana are always here to help! Our phones are answered 24/7 just give us a call (903-832-4400) and we’ll be on our way.