We all love our pets. These pets pictured are actually the pets of our own employee and her family. We also know how important pets are to our overall health and happiness. We care for them with veterinary care, good food, toys and lots of love.
So if you have a fire, what do you do with your pets?
The best way to help them in a stressful situation like a fire is to include them in your plan on how you will deal with it. By being prepared ahead of time, you will not forget to tend to their needs when they need you the most.
Step 1 in your plan needs to be to train your pet to come when you call. If he does not come to you now, you will never get him back when he is too scared from a fire. There are many resources available to train your pet to come to you.
Step 2 is to have an emergency preparedness kit for your pet. While you are forced out of your home, how will you feed, water, medicate or tend to any other needs you pet may have not to mention any first aid needed from injuries sustained during the event. Be sure when you are thinking about what needs to be in here, you are also thinking about where you will keep your pet until you can return home.
Step 3 is to have an escape plan that includes taking your pets with you. It is not safe for you to return to a fire for any reason so be sure all family members and pets are taken out of the home as you are getting out of it yourself. Practice this escape plan so you can get them out with you when you have to suddenly evacuate. Rehearsal will make your pets more comfortable with being handled in an evacuation and make you aware of potential problems if your pets resist.
Step 4 means helping firefighters help your pets in an emergency. This includes keeping pets near easily accessible exits to the home so no one has to venture too far inside to find them. Make sure firefighters know there are pets inside even if you are not there. There are many window clings and household signs you can put on or near the front entrance to notify firefighters how many pets are potentially trapped inside during a fire.
Step 5 is to call ServiceMaster 5 Points Athens as soon as it is safe to do so. Smoke and soot damage are just as harmful to your pets as they are to you. They cannot live in the home until a fire & smoke damage restoration is performed so starting this process as soon as possible will limit the stress of your pets having to live in a strange place possibly without you being able to be with them.
Call ServiceMaster 5 Points Athens today to start your fire & smoke damage restoration.
