February is Responsible Pet Owners Month! Learn How To Incorporate Pets Into Your Emergency Plans!

1/31/2022 (Permalink)

Having a pet alert decal in your window can help firefighters in the event your pets are still in the home!

Did you know that February is Responsible Pet Owners Month? As pet owners, we never want to imagine a situation where our furbabies are in danger, but according to the American Red Cross, an estimated 500,000 pets are affected by fires annually and about 1,000 home fires are accidents caused by pets each year. While we cannot predict when a disaster is going to strike, we can plan and prepare for it.
The most loving thing we can do is plan ahead just in case, and include our pets in family emergency plans. By following the steps below, you can begin to prepare for an emergency situation.

Take Safety Precautions:

• Check that you have multiple smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in your home, they are functioning correctly and that you change the batteries twice a year.
  
  
• Make sure your pet is wearing a collar with proper identification and to date license in case you get separated during an emergency

Protection if Your Not Home:

We would hope that should an emergency situation occur, we would be home to get our pets to safety, but you should take precautions in case you're not home and your pet is alone when a fire starts.

• If possible, keep your pet near an exit so they have a better chance of getting out, use a pet gate to keep them in a designated area by an exit.
  
  
• Keep collars on and leashes nearby, but be sure not to block a potential exitway. 
  
  
• Get a pet fire sticker to hang in your front window to alert firefighters that you have pets inside. The sticker will have a list of important information like the number of pets, type of pets, and contact information.

Plan Your Escape Route:

Your fire safety plan should start with identifying all of the possible exits and then planning your evacuation route. Note things like if the front door is blocked, which window could be used as an exit and then have a designated meeting spot outside the home that is a safe distance from the fire.
A few things to note when planning for a pet is knowing your pet's hideaway spots.

• Do they have a favorite spot or somewhere they retreat to in chaos? Start there.
  
  
• Keep a pet emergency kit handy with a leash, carrier, food for your pet, and any needed medications, but ensure it is not blocking an exit.
  
  
• Designate a family member to be in charge of evacuating with the pets
  
  
• Practice fire drills with your pet

We love our pets like family, but it is important to remember that we shouldn't put our lives, or family members' lives in danger during a fire. If for whatever reason you are unable to quickly locate your pet during a fire and the area is unsafe, you must evaluate immediately. Once you are safely out of the house, do not go back in for any reason, notify the fire department that there are pets inside and let the professionals handle them.

Plan a Place to Stay:

Unfortunately, if your home suffers from fire damage there is a chance that your home may be uninhabitable for a while. Plan ahead to ensure that you have a safe, pet-friendly place for your pet to stay in the meantime, it could be a friend, family member, neighbor, or pet-friendly hotel.

Prevent your Pets from Starting Fires:

A big part of your pet fire safety plan should be eliminating and preparing for potential fire safety risks.

• If your home has a fireplace, consider getting a pet gate to ensure they keep a safe distance.
  
  
• Candles: curious puppies and playful kittens can easily knock over a candle and not only injure themselves, but also start a fire. Never leave a lit candle unattended with a pet, even for a minute. Consider switching to battery-operated, flameless candles.
  
  
• Stovetops and ovens: Pet's accidentally turning stove knobs is the leading cause of pet-generated house fires. If your pet can reach it, they can touch it so consider protective covers to gating off the kitchen.
  
  
• Electrical cords: pets are playful and sometimes they may think that an electrical cord or extension cord is a chew toy, secure all wires and cords.

Unfortunately, even if you do routinely practice fire safety and prevention techniques with your pets, fires still happen, resulting in significant water and fire damage. When that happens, you can count on your local SERVPRO of St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, S. Nocatee and World Golf Village to mitigate fire and water damage losses. 

Fire damage restoration can help restore your home to pre-fire condition, but it’s important to act fast to get fire remediation specialists out as quickly as possible to address the damage. If you find yourself dealing with fire damage, trust SERVPRO of St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, S. Nocatee and World Golf Village, and our professional fire remediation services that we’re known for. With immediate emergency service 24/7, call us at 904-429-4457 and our trained fire technicians will help restore your home to preloss condition.