Stop, Drop and Roll Over? Fire Safety Tips for Pet Owners
July 18th, 2009 Posted in UncategorizedEach year in Canada, thousands of people lose their lives to fire. Even more are injured; the financial costs can be very high. Sadly, pets are also often involved in fire-related tragedies.
Fire is a very scary thing! We use fire to cook by and to stay warm, and candles are lovely to look at, but fire can be a uncontrollable, ravaging beast. And, despite educational programs that start in grade schools, every year thousands of people are injured or die in house fires.
According to the National Research Council, more than 50,000 fires occur in Canada each year. In the year 2000, there were 379 fire deaths and 2,890 fire injuries in people. Pet deaths are much higher; for example, in 2006, more than 40,000 pets perished in fires, most from smoke inhalation. Why so many in comparison to humans?
One potential answer is that smoke alarms save human lives but not necessarily those of animals. For more than 30 years, these life-saving devices have been manditory by law in our homes and apartments and that’s saved many lives. We know it’s time to leave the building when the smoke detector goes off, but our pets don’t. Also, the sound might scare Fluffy or Fido into hiding, making them harder to find in a crisis.
Secondly, the heroic efforts of firefighters may save some pets from the flames, if they even know animals are in the home, but they still might succumb to smoke inhalation or carbon monoxide levels.
And, the sad fact is that many pets will die in house fires because they are unable to get out. Often their family is not in the building when it catches on fire.
Security companies recommend monitored smoke detection services, to protect both your pets and your home. By alerting the fire department more quickly, even if you’re not home, these increase the chances that your pets will get out safely.
Of course, prevention is the best first step. Start by “pet proofing” your home. Look for potential fire hazards. Always extinguish open flames before leaving your home. Don’t leave pets unsupervised if there are burning candles in the room.
Many organizations are working to improve the survival chances of pets caught in fires. Concerned groups, including alarm monitoring companies, local veterinarians, pet fencing companies, and humane societies, are looking to prevent fire-related tragedies in pets.
Thanks to the efforts of certain sponsors, many fire stations now have access to “animal-appropriate” oxygen masks. These devices help deliver life-saving oxygen more effectively and will increase the chance of your pet’s survival. (http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/news/article/146170)
Firefighters are trained to look for window alert signs. “Window clings” are often available from commercial suppliers, or visit ADT’s website (www.adt.com) to obtain a free one. Please update these if you get any new pets, or if one of your pets dies. It’s dangerous enough for fire fighters to try to save pets (their mandate is to save humans), and unacceptable if they go into your home looking for a pet you no longer have.
If you return home to a burning building, you should not attempt to rescue your pets! I know it’s difficult, but you need to stay safe, for your sake and for that of your family; let the professionals do their job.
Hopefully, these tips and the efforts of concerned pet advocates will help reduce the incidence of pet deaths and injuries from fire.
