No one would ever wish to have a fire in their home, but you should be prepared in the case that it ever happens. If you have pets, there are things you should know to help keep them safe.
Your family should have an escape plan, and ensure that all of your smoke detectors are working. But it’s hard to incorporate your pet into those plans..
If a fire breaks out, Deputy Fire Chief of the Moncton Fire Department Don McCabe says you can to rely on them to help you keep your furry and feathered friends safe.
He says, “Do not go back in. We’ve had fire deaths, unfortunately. People going back in to get a cat, and the smoke that is in the building is toxic. They get tangled into the telephone wires, or in this case the bedding and then they trip, and they don’t get out, and neither does the animal.”
McCabe notes, “Firefighters have a pretty good success rate in rescuing the animals. You just tell them where your pet is and they’ll do their best to find them. They are equipped, trained and experienced to help.”
Things to think about. If you have birds, they have very small lungs, so their survival rate is low. Dogs get excited and starting panting which means they breathe in the toxins much faster. Cats have the best survival rate because they will hide somewhere low, which means they aren’t inhaling as much smoke.
