Pets and Fire Safety in the Home It's Kidde's mission to protect all members of your family - whether they have 2 or 4 legs. As a committed advocate of fire safety and prevention, Kidde understands that protecting your family also means protecting your pets. Every year, 500,000 pets suffer from smoke inhalation and 40,000 lose their lives in home fires. Check out signs, symptoms, and safety tips to keep your furry family members safe.
Pet Training Tips
Each year, 500,000 pets suffer from smoke inhalation and 40,000 die due to home fires. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that nearly 1,000 home fires each year are started by family pets. As many pet parents know first-hand, pets may become unsettled or anxious once a smoke alarm sounds, hiding rather than exiting. Pets who are already prone to anxiety when a smoke alarm sound may become even more so when their owners are not at home. Kidde and celebrity trainer Sarah Carson (as seen on America's Got Talent) are sharing some easy steps to train your pet to respond positively to the sound of a smoke or carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. Sara Carson recommends two options for training pets:
Option #1: Train pet to locate their owner:
Familiarize your pet with the sound of the alarm.
Record the sound of the alarm onto a device without the pet around. When you're ready to train, start out at a low volume using the controls on the device. Once your pet looks at you, reward him with a treat. Continue this several times until your pet is comfortable with the sound of the alarm. Once he's ready, turn the volume slightly up on the device, and repeat all the steps above, continuing to reward your pet when he looks at you.
Pair the sound with a command.
Play the alarm sound, asking him to come to you - then, reward him with a treat. Do this several times until your pet comes to you without asking him to do so. Once your pet starts coming to you when he hears the sound, practice hiding in your house so your pet will look for you when they hear the alarm.
Option #2: Train pet to locate the exit:
Familiarize your pet with the sound of the alarm.
Record the sound of the alarm onto a device without the pet around. When you're ready to train, start out at a low volume using the controls on the device. Once your pet looks at you, reward him with a treat. Continue this several times until your pet is comfortable with the sound of the alarm. Once he's ready, turn the volume slightly up on the device, and repeat all the steps above, continuing to reward your pet when he looks at you.
Identify and name the exit, i.e., 'outside.'
Practice saying 'outside' several times - when the dog hits the door, reward him with a treat. Repeat this several times until you don't have to walk to the door anymore.
Add the alarm sound and walk with the dog to the door, saying the verbal cue ('outside').
Reward him with a treat each time. Continue this several times until the pet goes to the door alone when the alarm sounds, without having to hear your verbal cue.
Pets CAN Start Fires According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly 1,000 home fires each year are started by family pets. Practicing simple safety tips can make a big impact in protecting your family and pets.
Household Tips
Pet proofing: Like with human children, homes most often require pet proofing. Pay careful attention to objects such as stove knobs and hot appliances that can be knocked over or turned on by curious pets. Never leave a lit candle within reach of a pet. Discard or store leftover food out of reach to prevent pets from trying to grab it (i.e., avoid leaving food on the stove).
Train pets to alarm sound: Dogs may become unsettled or anxious when a smoke alarm sounds, running and hiding rather than heading toward the door. Kidde recommends families 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 removable/replaceable decal to a window near entrances to let rescuers know how many animals are inside.
Include pets in escape plans: Pets should always be included in a family's evacuation plan. Stay aware of their typical hiding spots and where they often nap in case you must evacuate quickly and assign a family member to account for each pet. Keep an emergency kit with food, medication, and a leash near the exit. When you're not home, keep pets in areas near entrances where emergency responders can easily find them.
When you leave home: Pets can be mischievous, so consider confining them to a specific area, ideally close to an entrance - using items like a crate or dog gates - to keep them safe and to make it easier for first responders to remove them quickly to safety in case of emergency.
Replace alarms at 10 years: Smoke alarms must be replaced after 10 years. In addition to testing alarms once each week, check the manufactured date on your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to make sure they're current. If they're older than 10 years of age, it's time to replace them.
Plan ahead: Save contact information for your veterinarian in a place where you and other family members can easily access it, such as your phone contacts or a cloud-based shared file. Research local boarding options, hotels that allow pets, and friends or family members who might take in your pet temporarily. Also, be sure your pet's microchip information is current in case you become separated in an emergency. Shop Kidde Products Visit our online store for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, and escape ladders. Pets & Carbon Monoxide
Like all members of the family, pets are just as susceptible to the dangers of CO. But some pet parents may not know how to spot the symptoms. According to a recent survey, 53 percent of pet owners in the U.S. aren't confident they could identify the symptoms of CO poisoning in their pets. As part of Carrier's Healthy Homes Initiative, Kidde is sharing important advice to help people protect their furry family members.
Sources of Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is created by any fuel-burning appliance. When power outages occur during emergencies such as hurricanes or winter storms, the use of alternative sources of fuel or electricity for heating, cooling, or cooking can cause CO to build up in a home, garage, or camper and poison the people and animals inside.
Common sources of CO in our homes include:
Heaters
Gas Stoves and Ovens
Generators
Grills
Fires/Chimneys
Cars
Know the Signs
The first signs of CO poisoning in pets are typically nausea and vomiting, followed by difficulty breathing. Most symptoms of CO poisoning or carbon monoxide toxicity in pets are nonspecific, meaning they could easily be attributed to other illnesses. It's important to keep working CO alarms throughout the home.
Here's a short list of symptoms*:
Nausea
Vomiting
Labored or difficulty breathing
Sleepiness or lethargy
Uncoordinated movement
Disturbances in gait
Seizures
Heart arrhythmia
Coughing
Deafness
Blindness
Coma
If you suspect your pet may be experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning, remove them from the environment immediately and contact your veterinarian or poison control right away. Veterinarians may not immediately suspect CO poisoning so if you believe your pet has been exposed, consider asking for CO toxicity evaluation. This is typically done through a blood test. Detecting CO in Your Home The best and simplest way to detect the presence of carbon monoxide in your home is with a CO alarm. The way CO travels is different than smoke, it can travel anywhere in the home - even through drywall! With most homes, 1 alarm is not ideal protection. Consider installing more than 1 alarm on each level of your home. Pay careful attention to rooms where you and your family spend a great deal of time including living areas, bedrooms and hallways. IMPORTANT: EVERY ALARM MUST BE REPLACED AT A MINIMUM OF 10 YEARS.
In addition to testing alarms once each week and replacing batteries (where applicable), check the installation date too. If you have forgotten when they were installed, there's a simple fix: look on the back of the alarm for the manufacturing date and add 10 years.
Plan ahead: Save contact information for your veterinarian in a place where you and other family members can easily access it, such as your phone contacts or a cloud-based shared file. Also, be sure your pet's microchip information is current in case you become separated in an emergency.
For More Information Please Contact: kidde.com
Shop Kidde Products Visit our online store for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, and escape ladders. For more information on carbon monoxide poisoning prevention, click here. *Source: Fitzgerald, K.D. (2006). Carbon Monoxide. In M.D. Peterson, Small Animal Toxicology (Second Edition) (pp. 619-628). doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/B0-72-160639-3/50038-1 Recommended Products Wire-Free Interconnected Battery Powered Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm P4010DCSCO-W Details Wire-Free Interconnected Battery Powered Smoke Alarm P4010DCS-W Details Living Area Fire Extinguisher FX210 Details
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