We are one month away from Red Paw ending. It’s been a month since we transitioned to daytime hours only. We’ve started to see some of the pre-Red Paw issues arise on-scene at night for families with pets, so we want to help you prepare now.
#NationalPreparednessMonth Thread👇
#NationalPreparednessMonth Thread👇
First & foremost, you MUST have a plan. Then you must share that plan with your neighbors & make sure they have a plan as well. If a fire or disaster occurs next door to your home, there is a good chance it will affect your house, as well. So we have to be each other’s keepers!
Here’s what to do: Have working smoke alarms on every floor of your home including the basement. Smoke alarms cut the chances of dying in a house fire in half. So, it's vitally important that you have them & test them monthly.
Next talk to your family members and come up with a fire escape plan that includes your pets. Keep bedroom doors closed when you go to sleep & be sure to keep pets contained in an area where you can grab them quickly.
Have a GoKit for your pet(s) by your bed with a leash and/or pillow case inside of it so that you can quickly contain your pet(s) once safely out of your home. One issue that happens on-scene is pets get out safe but then run off.
Then you need to practice w/all members of your family, including pets. Pick a family meeting place outside of your home where all family members can go once they are out of the house. Next, have a buddy system. Make sure neighbors have your contact info, know you have pets,
what kind, how many & where they normally stay in your home, so they can inform first responders if a fire happens while you're out. And, have a designated neighbor willing to take in your pet(s) in an emergency should you not be home when an emergency occurs.
Make sure it’s someone who your pet(s) is comfortable with & who is comfortable with your pets. If you live in an apt building make sure your property manager & neighbors know how many pets you have & what kind. Be sure to have their contact info & make sure they all have yours.
If your fire alarm goes off be sure to take your pets with you - every time - it’s good practice. Make sure to close your door behind you. This will significantly reduce damage to your apt & increase your pets likely hood of survival should you not be able to get them out w you.
If you own your home, make sure your home owners insurance is up to date. If you rent, make sure to have renters insurance. It’s relatively cheap & will ensure that you & your pets have a safe place to go. If you live in flood-prone areas, you’ll need to ask for flood insurance.
If you‘re all out safe but have no place to go, it is the responsibility of emergency personnel to set up a pet friendly emergency shelter for large incidents. For single family fires/disasters the Red Cross can send you to a pet friendly hotel. Don’t let them tell you otherwise.
Most importantly, do not let anyone tell you that your pet run out! They next to never do. Unless you can confirm your pet is out & safe, ask firefighters to go in & search. And, don’t let them tell you that your pet(s) couldn’t have survived! Especially in apt buildings.
Emergency personnel must check every apt, no matter how long after the incident. Every apt bldg fire Red Paw responded to in the last 9.5 years had at least 1 pet survive. Almost 2 months after the Windermere apt bldg fire, multiple pets were found alive. Don’t assume otherwise!
Media, you can help residents w pets too! If you’re reporting on a residential fire/disaster, when you report on the residents affected you MUST report on residents’ pets too. More than half of homes have 2 pets in them & over 90% of residents consider pets family. It matters!
Ask if there were pets in the home? Was the apt bldg pet friendly? Are all of the pets out & ok? If not, is the FD going to get them for the residents? If not, why not/who is? Is the bus/reception center/shelter where the displaced residents are at pet friendly? If not, why not?
These are questions that need to be asked & answered & reported on at every single house fire, apt bldg fire, house collapse, explosion etc. Because trust me, there ARE pets affected & the residents, citizens we serve, and your viewers, care.
Moral of the story. We must be our pets’ advocate. We may also need to be our neighbors advocate as well, especially seniors. If pets are still inside it’s up to us to ensure that FFs know. And, it’s the FFs responsibility to help you & get them out safely. Full stop.
