Evanger's Safety Tips: National Pet Fire Safety Day

Our family at Evanger’s treat our pets as part of the family, so safety is always our number one priority. That’s why it never hurts to remind ourselves of ways we can help protect our pets from home fires. According to the National Fire Protection Association, pets cause some 1,000 house fires annually, affecting nearly 500,000 pets. To help prevent these accidents, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) sponsors National Pet Fire Safety Day each July 15.

NVFC offers the following fire prevention and safety tips to prevent fires and protect pets when there is a fire.

To Prevent Fires

• Remove stove knobs – Stoves and cook tops are the biggest culprits involved in your pet starting a fire. Be sure to remove knobs or protect them with covers when leaving the house.
• Extinguish open flames – Since they’re curious by nature, never leave your cats and dogs unsupervised around open flames. Also consider investing in flameless candles that contain a light bulb rather than an open flame.
•  Replace glass water bowls on wooden decks – When the sun’s rays filter through water and glass, it can heat up and ignite the wooden deck beneath it. Opt for ceramic or stainless steel bowls instead.
• Pet proof your home - Locate areas where pets might start fires inadvertently. Check for loose wires and other potential hazards.

To Keep Your Pets Safe in Case of a Fire

• Consider monitored smoke detection services – Adding protection beyond battery-operated smoke alarms, smoke detectors connected to a monitoring center help save pets home alone.
•  Plan an escape route – Keep collars and leashes easily accessible near front and back doors in case you have to evacuate quickly with your pet, or to help firefighters rescue it.
• Keep pets near entrances – When leaving pets home alone, confine them in rooms or areas near entrances where firefighters can easily find them. Also consider confining young pets – especially puppies –in crates or behind baby gates in secure areas away from potential fire-starting hazards.
• Affix a pet alert window sticker – To save rescue time, write down (and update) the number of pets inside your house and attach the sticker to a front window where it’s clearly visible to emergency responders. For a free window cling, visit  AKC (www.akc.org) and ASPCA (www.aspca.org).

A little planning can go a long way in keeping your pets safe in case of emergencies. Always be prepared!