Prevent your pet and their antics from causing a fire in your home:
There are up to 1000 fires caused annually by household pets. More than 50% of them have been known to start in the kitchen space of the home.
When in the kitchen, be sure to stand at or near your cooking and preparatory station when preparing a meal – don’t wander off to another spot or device and get carried away. Your pet may have tendencies to be a sneaky one and choose to physically cause an accident and a fire to start.
Stay in the kitchen and supervise! Well-behaved animals are out of harm’s way.
If you choose, you can establish a “No Kitchen Rule” for your pets while you’re preparing a meal or snack. This would mean your pet is not allowed in the kitchen space while you are cooking or baking. Pets are known to love human food once they’ve gotten a taste of it – encouraging them to remain outside of the kitchen will help prevent fires from being caused.
Place covers over pots and pans on the stovetop in case a pet jumps up to the high point. Check your countertop and table space – some of our kooky pets can chew on wires which short circuit lamps and other appliances or electronics which turns into a fire hazard.
Additionally – look out for lit candles, or wood burning fireplaces and stoves for unsupervised pets making their way around the flames. You can go the extra mile by securing those wires, and getting a flameless candle in case the cat’s tail knocks over an antique on a ledge along with your candle.
Preparing for the worst:
For the super preparedness – make an emergency plan with your family for what to do with the pet(s) in case of last-minute evacuation. Organize how to corral and move your animals, along with grabbing emergency supplies. Assigning roles can be a great and fun tool.
– Pets can go through drills too – getting leashed up, harnesses on, placed in a carrier, or following a routine to go through a specific door to evacuate. Know where your pet(s) likes to hide and how to retrieve them quickly and safely.
– Be sure mischievous and young pets are confined in crates or behind baby gates so they cannot start a fire while you’re out of the house. Those extra particular pets can be confined to rooms.
Make a quick escape:
Once you have a plan in place, you’re set in case of any quick escape needs. Nearly every firefighter will tell you not to rush back in to save your pet when a fire is blazing. This will be one of the hardest things a pet lover and owner can hear. There are definitely true stories of family members passing after returning back inside to rescue a pet. Stick to the plan – wait for first responders to arrive and make clear to them your pet is still inside.
Should they take in smoke:
When an animal breathes smoke, assume their airways are inflamed. Get them to medical care straightaway. Signs and symptoms can include difficulty breathing, coughing, irritated eyes, salivation, or vomiting, seizures, and collapsing. CPR will be needed at this point, get them to a well-ventilated area. Check vital signs, take them to the vet hospital, and take care of them.
I think it’s safe to say you want to avoid your pet causing a fire.
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