Fire Safety Tips for Your Pets

4/30/2018 (Permalink)

All homeowners with pets must think about their fire safety plans with their furry friends in mind.

When it comes to evacuation and safety plans in the event of a fire, most homeowners plans for protecting their family and their most meaningful possessions like important documents and family photos. Home fires are far more common than many people think and having a specific plan in place is essential. For those family with pets, an additional level of fire safety must be accounted for in order to keep your furry family members safe and sound. Approximately 500,000 pets are affected by fires every year, according to research from the United States Fire Administration. Therefore, all pet owners are strongly encouraged to think about fire safety preparation for pets.

A family pet is truly like a real member of the family. As such, ensuring that your fire safety plan includes your pet is critical. Keep the following fire safety tips for your pets in mind:

• Never leave any open flames, like candles, unattended – especially if they are within the reach of your pet
• Watch out for things like space heaters getting knocked over by your animal
• Hide all electrical cords out of reach of your pets
• Do smoke detector checks twice a year
• Keep a collar on your pet
• Put a sticker on your windows and door to let firefighters know that a pet is inside the household
• Have a microchip implanted in your pet
• Account for your pet’s food when making emergency supply lists
• Keep your pet’s leash, food, and carrier by the home’s exit in case of a fire

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), about 700 home fires annually are started every year as a result of a pet or wild animal. All homeowners with pets must think about their fire safety plans with their furry friends in mind. If you have suffered any fire damage as a result of a home fire, contact the fire damage professionals at SERVPRO for immediate help!