Your home is a very special intimate place. It is the one place where you can be you and where you feel safe. It is a place where you and your family live life, relax and spend time together.
Most of you who read this blog like to be prepared for most anything. Others who read this blog are trying to get prepared, and good for you! One thing that is very hard to prepare for is a house fire.
Fire Happens
We all know you should have a fire extinguisher in multiply places in your home, in fact before I get too far, please check out 18 tips for fire prevention, because we all know the best way to fight a fire is to avoid a fire.
It is very important to have a plan in case of a fire, part of that plan should include the pets. Now, let me be clear, human life is and will always be the first priority in case of a fire period! With that said, it is important to have some sort of a plan for your pets in case of a fire. Never risk your life or the life of another family member to save a pet. If you are like me, your pets are part of the family. In my case, I have cats, and on a good day my cats will many times not do what I want them to do when I want them to do it. They are cats.
In case of a fire, it will be a confusing situation. As much as you may have a plan in case there is a fire, the plan will never flow they way you think. First, you don’t expect a fire, you can plan for what to do, even have fire drills. When it comes to pets however, they don’t understand why you are drilling. Some pets will listen and follow your commands, my cats won’t and that is what I have to plan for and this is what I want you to think about and plan for.
Have a Pet Plan
A fire starts, as much as you have drilled your pet will most likely be freaking out. If possible, put dogs on a leash, if you can get the cat into a carrier or pillow case, grab the bird cage and get out. Just remember, some fires can spread within two minutes, you most likely will not have enough time to do a lot with pets, especially since human life comes first. Get the kids out first no matter what. Get human life out first. But have a plan for the pets.
A fire occurs, you and your family are escaping the house, you call your pets, they don’t come. You have to mentally prepare yourself that you must exist the burning home without them. If at all possible, open a window or two on the way out of the house so the pets have a couple of ways to get out on their own. Dogs may follow you, some cats will run, some cats will hide under a bed.
Loss Of A Pet
One of the hardest thing I want you to prepare for is the possibility that you may lose a pet in a fire. It is hard to think about and many may have never considered the concept that you may have to leave your home, stand out front watching it burn knowing your pets may still be inside. It will be traumatic enough that you are losing your home to a fire, it is even worse to know your pets are succumbing to the fire. No one wants to think about it, but it is something you should mentally prepare for. To be honest, just thinking about it while I write this brings tears to my eyes. I don’t want to lose my cats, they are my babies. As much as I will try to get them out of the house in case of a fire, I have to prepare mentally that, knowing how my cats are, I may not get them out. I may lose them in case of a fire.
It Will Hurt
Preparing mentally is a huge. When people don’t prepare mentally they could freeze maybe go into shock. Thinking about it and mentally preparing is just as important as it is to physically prepare and drill so you are as ready as you can be in case of a fire and also know that as prepared as you think you are, a fire will be tragic and shocking, but that tragic event, if it ever happens, will be something that you have at least thought through.
No one likes to think about death, but death happens, be as prepared as you can be, know you will cry and grieve no matter how you prepare, it will hurt.
18 Aug 2015
0 CommentsFire – What About The Pets
Most of you who read this blog like to be prepared for most anything. Others who read this blog are trying to get prepared, and good for you! One thing that is very hard to prepare for is a house fire.
Fire Happens
We all know you should have a fire extinguisher in multiply places in your home, in fact before I get too far, please check out 18 tips for fire prevention, because we all know the best way to fight a fire is to avoid a fire.
It is very important to have a plan in case of a fire, part of that plan should include the pets. Now, let me be clear, human life is and will always be the first priority in case of a fire period! With that said, it is important to have some sort of a plan for your pets in case of a fire. Never risk your life or the life of another family member to save a pet. If you are like me, your pets are part of the family. In my case, I have cats, and on a good day my cats will many times not do what I want them to do when I want them to do it. They are cats.
In case of a fire, it will be a confusing situation. As much as you may have a plan in case there is a fire, the plan will never flow they way you think. First, you don’t expect a fire, you can plan for what to do, even have fire drills. When it comes to pets however, they don’t understand why you are drilling. Some pets will listen and follow your commands, my cats won’t and that is what I have to plan for and this is what I want you to think about and plan for.
Have a Pet Plan
A fire starts, as much as you have drilled your pet will most likely be freaking out. If possible, put dogs on a leash, if you can get the cat into a carrier or pillow case, grab the bird cage and get out. Just remember, some fires can spread within two minutes, you most likely will not have enough time to do a lot with pets, especially since human life comes first. Get the kids out first no matter what. Get human life out first. But have a plan for the pets.
A fire occurs, you and your family are escaping the house, you call your pets, they don’t come. You have to mentally prepare yourself that you must exist the burning home without them. If at all possible, open a window or two on the way out of the house so the pets have a couple of ways to get out on their own. Dogs may follow you, some cats will run, some cats will hide under a bed.
Loss Of A Pet
One of the hardest thing I want you to prepare for is the possibility that you may lose a pet in a fire. It is hard to think about and many may have never considered the concept that you may have to leave your home, stand out front watching it burn knowing your pets may still be inside. It will be traumatic enough that you are losing your home to a fire, it is even worse to know your pets are succumbing to the fire. No one wants to think about it, but it is something you should mentally prepare for. To be honest, just thinking about it while I write this brings tears to my eyes. I don’t want to lose my cats, they are my babies. As much as I will try to get them out of the house in case of a fire, I have to prepare mentally that, knowing how my cats are, I may not get them out. I may lose them in case of a fire.
It Will Hurt
Preparing mentally is a huge. When people don’t prepare mentally they could freeze maybe go into shock. Thinking about it and mentally preparing is just as important as it is to physically prepare and drill so you are as ready as you can be in case of a fire and also know that as prepared as you think you are, a fire will be tragic and shocking, but that tragic event, if it ever happens, will be something that you have at least thought through.
No one likes to think about death, but death happens, be as prepared as you can be, know you will cry and grieve no matter how you prepare, it will hurt.