Happy National Pet Day!

Happy National Pet Day! Many of us consider our pets apart of our family, they need to be fire safe as well. Let's find out how!

When a fire occurs, we want to get the entire family out of the house. Train your animals to come when you call to ensure they get out of the house safely. Please remember it is never okay to endanger yourself or your family to rescue a pet.

Animals can start fires accidentally. You can prevent this by:

-extinguishing open flames such as candles, cooking appliances, and even fire places. Animals are curious creatures and will be drawn to investigate the flame or heat. They also could knock candles off of structures or push things too close to appliance/heating devices.

-Remove stove knobs or protect them with a cover. Animals can bump into stove knobs, heating up the stove or allowing natural gas to build within your home.

-Secure young pets when you are not at home using crates or baby gates to keep them away from potential fire hazards.

-Maintain a "pet-free zone" around the stove, outdoor cooking devices, or fireplaces, of 3 feet or more.

When away from home, in case of a fire:

-Keep pets close to doors and windows for an easy rescue from firefighters if necessary.

-Be sure to keep there collars and information tags on the animal.

According to the NFPA, pets and wild animals have a part in starting about 700 fires per year. About three-quarters of these fires were started by cooking equipment, chimneys, lighting, fireplaces, or candles.