Pet Fire Safety
Over 500,000 pets are affected annually by home fires. Pets have a harder time escaping a house fire, often retreating deeper into the house. They are also more susceptible to smoke inhalation due to their smaller size. That's why pet fire safety is crucial. During these emergency situations, fire crews administer supplemental oxygen to both people and pets.
By using specially designed PureVent Pet Oxygen Masks that fit over animals’ snouts, firefighters are able to resuscitate pets from smoke inhalation. If your local fire department does not carry a set of oxygen masks, consider donating them to help save an animal’s life.
In the 1970s in Japan, an engineer by the name of Takuo Aoyagi invented the pulse oximeter, which, according to Courtney Broaddus, professor emeritus of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco is “an indispensable addition to medicine.”
Oxygen Level Becomes the Fifth Vital Sign
Administering Oxygen to humans during rescue care has been a standard practice for over 100 years. Given this, you might think that every fire department and EMS service would have pet oxygen masks onboard.
Unfortunately, for our pet population medicine trends behind human care adoption. Veterinarians have begun using Oxygen administration on pets more recently in the last 20-30 years.
It's still very common for Fire Departments and EMS providers to not be equipped with the pet-specific rescue devices needed to care for animals. Ask your fire department if they carry pet rescue tools and it's a fantastic item to donate to your local department, especially in areas prone to bad wildfires and air quality conditions.
How Can I Prepare For An Emergency At Home With Pets?
Accidents and emergencies occur. There are various ways to prepare your household for an emergency, but there are specific action items that will be most helpful during these stressful emergencies.
Create an Emergency Evacuation Plan
Schedule a night with your family to create an emergency plan. Make sure to cover the points listed below:
Have everyone memorize the emergency phone number of the fire department
Walk around your property and house to identify the best escape routes
If you live with infants, the elderly, or pets, make sure someone in the household is assigned to each pet or person to make sure they are safely evacuated
Check and test your home's fire alarms, change all the batteries out, and set a calendar event for a year from now to do the same safety check
Confirm that your Local Fire Department is Equipped with Pet Oxygen Masks
Contact your local fire department to make sure that they are equipped with PureVent Pet Oxygen Masks. Many fire departments get their masks through donations from community members just like you! Because they often get left at the scene of the fire to provide continued care to pets in need, fire departments often need replacement masks, too.
You can donate a mask set to your local department to make sure they are prepared to save the furry friends in our communities.
Equip your Home with a Pet Oxygen Kit
Equipping your home with a Pet Oxygen Kit will help you prepare for an emergency, whether it is due to a fire or general respiratory distress, while you are at home with your pet.
Using a Pet Oxygen Kit for your dog, cat, or exotic pet during emergencies can supplement the oxygen they're not getting during an episode of respiratory distress (like in the instance of a house fire or wildfire).
When a pet is not getting enough oxygen their anxiety and stress levels increase, which increases the risk of further complications before you have time to get them to an emergency care facility. Spending a small amount of money on an Pet Oxygen Kit to have in your home might just save you from racking up a hefty veterinarian bill and keeping your pet from developing respiratory issues in the future.
Important Fire Safety Tips
Create an emergency evacuation plan with your family with clear instructions that are easy to follow and understand by every member of your family.
Practice your household's emergency evacuation plan to be better prepared for an emergency situation
Confirm that your Local Fire Department is equipped with Pet Oxygen Masks
Consider donating pet oxygen masks to your local fire department to save your communities pets
Equip your home with a Pet Oxygen Kit and any other safety items, such as flashlights, emergency phone numbers, and first aid kits, for your family and pets.
Check and test your home's fire alarms, change all the batteries out, and set a calendar event for a year from now to do the same safety check
Keep collars on your pets and leashes accessible in case fire fighters need to rescue your pet in an emergency situation.
Put a sticker or window cling in your window with the number of pets in your home so firefighters can locate all of your pets in case of an emergency situation.
