Pet Fire Safety

3/23/2020 (Permalink)

Pets can be considered family, too!

At any given moment, a fire emergency can take place in the Dallas Fort Worth area or abroad, and though unexpected; it can be beneficial to already have a plan in place for everyone in your home to evacuate and meet in a safe location. While you should always be most focused on keeping yourself and your family safe, you can also spend some time on pet preparation so that you can have a better chance of getting your pets out of danger as well.

The National Fire Protection Association estimates that nearly 1,000 home fires each year are accidentally started by the homeowners' pets. The American Kennel Club and American Red Cross have provided the following tips:

Extinguish Open Flames

• Pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.

Remove Stove Knobs

• Be sure to remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before leaving the house - a stove or stovetop is the number one piece of equipment involved in your pet starting a fire.

Invest in Flameless Candles

• These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious for starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.

Secure Young Pets

• Keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home such as in crates or behind baby gates in secure areas.