Your pets are your family and there are steps you can take to make it easier to protect them during a fire.
Being prepared in the event of a fire can take some work, but it is worth it to ensure that everyone in the home, even our pets, are able to evacuate safely. Taking simple steps and crafting a family evacuation plan can go a long way in helping you be prepared when you need to evacuate your family and pets.
Plan
It is a good idea to have a plan in place in case of an emergency—any emergency. When it comes to our pets, discuss how you plan to get them out quickly and safely in the event of a fire and take steps to make their evacuation as seamless as possible. For small pets with cages that are large or unwieldy, keep an open kennel or carrier near their cage so you can transfer them as quickly as possible on your way out of the home. For cats, grab them if you see them. If they are prone to hiding, then it is a good idea to keep something tempting around like a can of wet food to try to bring them to you as you’re evacuating. Having a can, toy, or bag of treats that is somewhere easy to reach or in a spot on your agreed-upon escape route will make this easier and faster when every second counts. For dogs, one of the best things you can do is train them to come when called. A dog with excellent recall will follow you out of the home when called so you do not have to chase them down to try and get out.
It is never a bad idea to run family fire drills to evaluate different methods and find which works best for you. Remember that in a fire you only have about 2 minutes to evacuate, so your drills should get everyone out before those 2 minutes are up.
Do Not Go Back In
It is a hard thing to hear, but if you cannot get your pets out within 2 minutes and you must exit the home without them—do not go back in. Going back inside puts you at risk, and many animals are resourceful and smart, often finding their own way out of the home safely. Wait outside for the fire department and inform them that there may be pets inside so that they know to look for them.
Fire Protection Services from Fireline
Whether you need smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, or an automatic sprinkler system installed at your commercial property, Fireline has you covered. We have been protecting
people and property from fire damage since 1947—and our experience shows in our excellent work! We are known for our superb customer service, our expertise, and our reliability. For more information on how we can help your residential or commercial property, visit us online or give us a call at (800) 553-3405. We are in Baltimore, MD, with a second office in Leesburg, VA. For more fire safety tips, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.