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Top fire safety tips for pets and people
Did you know? Pet Fire Safety Day happens once a year on the 15th of July. This special, fur-friendly day was officiated in the late 2000’s, and many pet owners as well as emergency services now celebrate it annually. The purpose of Pet Fire Safety Day is to make pet owners more mindful of fire related hazards in the home, and what this means in relation to any resident fur-children.
Not only are pets often left in potentially life threatening situations when house fires break out (due to smoke inhalation, inability to escape, etc.), but pets are also often responsible for accidentally causing house fires themselves.
Pets, specifically those of the more curious nature or those who enjoy counter-surfing, are capable of causing house fires accidentally. Incidents have been recorded of dogs jumping up at stoves and accidentally turning switches. Overturned lamps, space heaters or candles knocked over by pets are also common causes of house fires.
In order to promote safety all round, Pet Fire Safety Day exists to remind individuals about the potential hazards their household face, as well as to facilitate discussions regarding the prevention of such unfortunate circumstances on a practical level. If you are a pet owner, consider practicing these activities to keep your four-legged-furries safe and sound in the event of a fire, as well as your human house mates safe from potential house fires.
How to protect your home from fires caused by pets:
- Use flameless candles that feature bulbs as opposed to wicks. If you DO opt for the real deal (with the real flame), ensure pets are never left unattended near the open flame.
- If your dog is large enough to reach the counter with its front paws, remove the knobs on stove switches prior to leaving the house.
- Opt for stainless steel or ceramic pet drinking bowls if they are placed on a wooden deck. Believe it or not, rays of sunshine, when filtered and heated through glass and water, can actually cause the wood beneath the bowl to start burning.
- Pet proof your home by looking for potential fire hazards through the eyes of a pet. Loose wires, stove tops and piles of flammable objects near items that heat up are all potentially dangerous.
How to keep pets safe in the event of a house fire:
- Ensure pets are wearing collars at all times and that their leads are easily found near the front door. This way, whoever is the first on the scene of a fire will be able to quickly and easily lead your pets to safety. Pets will often be waiting at the door to run out as soon as somebody opens it.
- Provide pets with an escape route in case of fires. A pet door is a great option. Avoid locking pets away in a room where they have no escape option in case of emergency. If you absolutely have to lock them away for whatever reason, try to leave them in a room close to an entry door so that they can be easily found by the first person on the scene should a fire break out.
- Never leave home without thoroughly extinguishing all flames properly.
- Consider installing monitored smoke detectors in your home so that somebody will be alerted if a fire does break out and nobody is at home or aware of the situation.
- Be aware of where your pets tend to nap or hide so that you know where to look if you need to find them quickly.
- Let firefighters know exactly what to look for. Window stickers that provide information on the type and number of pets inside can be incredibly useful in alerting firefighters to the fact that they should also be looking for pets (and when they should stop) if the situation permits.
At BISSELL we believe pets are a precious part of the family, and value keeping them safe, healthy and happy. Once you have pet-proofed your home with regard to potential fire hazards, consider pet-proofing it with regard to fluff, dirt and mites – with the help out our pet-focused range of products.