Here are some tips on keeping your pets safe in a disaster and the importance of including your pets in an escape plan and practice with everyone in the home, including pets, twice a year.
Recently, Minnesota State Fire Marshal Bruce West spoke with the Red Wing Republican Eagle on the topic of keeping pets safe in a disaster. Marshal West reminded people of the importance of including pets in an escape plan and practice with everyone in the home, including pets, twice a year. Marshal West included the following additional tips:
- If your pet stays in a kennel/crate when you are not home, make sure those kennels are near entrances that firefighters can easily access.
- If your pet does not stay in a kennel/crate, keep them in a room close to an entrance.
- Keep collars on your pets and leashes in an accessible and easy-to-find area in case firefighters need to remove your animal from the home.
- Purchase a pet alert window cling for your home’s front windows. The clings alert firefighters that animals are inside.
- It is also important to never go back into a burning structure for a pet.
The entire article can be found on the Red Wing Republican Eagle website. You can also find a pet safety tip sheet on the NFPA website.