Can you spot the pets in this house? Without help, neither can a firefighter. Knowing where to look and how many animals to find makes it more likely firefighters can rescue pets from a house fire.
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I heard an amazing story from some old friends this week. Last month a storm knocked out their power for an extended period of time. When it finally came back on - while my friends were not at home - the stove caught fire. As the blaze consumed the kitchen, black smoke began to fill the house. Neighbors reached my friends on their cell phone to tell them their house was on fire. Panic! They raced home! Pets were in the house - how would they survive?
This is how the animals survived the fire. Their owners’ security system received an alarm that a fire was in progress, and so the security company notified the fire department. They gave them the address and told them not only that there were pets in the house but also what kind and how many. The firemen were further aided by neighbors who knew how many animals there were and where they were in the house. By the time my frantic friends arrived, police, firemen and neighbors were able to assure them that the animals were alive, safe and uninjured.
My friends did a lot of things right. They had a security system installed that would summon help even if they weren’t at home. The security company had a current list of all animals in the household, and could give the firemen an accurate count. They were friendly with their neighbors, who helped to make sure the animals were rescued. The only thing they didn’t do was to keep an up-to-date easy-to-read notice on their door about the pets inside. But they did enough right to save the lives of their furry best friends.
Even without a security system, there are things you can do to increase the chances for your own pets to survive a fire - such as keeping a notice posted on your door about the number and kind of pets you have. It doesn’t take long to do, and could make a life-saving difference for your best friend. And make sure your friends and neighbors are able to reach you in the event of an emergency.
In this technical age, getting to know the people next door can be good for you and for your furry buddies, when you’re speaking of pets.
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