Every year, 500,000 pets suffer from smoke inhalation and 40,000 die due to home fires. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association estimates that nearly 1,000 home fires each year are started by family pets. With pet fostering and adoption up 48% in the wake of COVID-19, it's more important than ever to teach pet owners simple ways to keep their pets safe in the event of an emergency.
Awareness campaign
As a committed advocate of fire safety and prevention in communities across the country, Kidde is answering the call this Pet Fire Safety Day to protect four-legged family members through an awareness campaign created for pet owners and parents.
Kidde is a part of Carrier Global Corporation, a global provider of innovative heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies.
"Pets are so important to our emotional well-being, offering much-needed friendship and affection, particularly at a time when this global pandemic has forced us to stay physically distanced from each other," said Brad Nohr, managing director, Kidde. "Pets are also part of our families, so it's important to recognize that they're vulnerable to the same fire risks as people. At Kidde, we serve to protect all members of the family – not just the two-legged kind – so we're taking this time to remind people about easy ways to keep their pets safe at home."
Pet protection from the dangers of fire:
Pet Training: Dogs may become unsettled or anxious once a smoke alarm sounds, running and hiding rather than going to the door. It is important for pet owners to work with skilled, professional trainers to help their canine friends learn how to properly respond to alarms.
Window Clings: In an emergency, first responders need to be able to quickly assess the number of pets in a home. Consider attaching a non-adhesive decal to a window near one’s front door to let rescuers know how many animals are inside.
Fire Escape and Alarms
Fire Escape: Pets should always be included in a family's evacuation plan. Stay aware of their typical hiding spots or locations where they often nap in case one must evacuate quickly. When one is not at home, one must keep pets in areas near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.
Alarm Safety: Smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms must be replaced after 10 years. In addition to testing alarms once each week, one must check the manufacturing date on one’s smoke and CO alarms to make sure they are under 10 years of age. If they are older than that, it is time to replace them.