People love their pets. In many cases, people often love their dog or cat more than they love other 
people!
With that kind of love, it’s important to remember your pet when creating a fire escape plan. Since half a million pets are involved in home fires every year, it’s something to keep in mind “just in case.”
Fires spread quickly. Therefore, you should have a fire escape plan for yourself and your pet long before any fire starts anywhere. What should you think about?
Creating a Fire Escape Plan For Your Pet
For starters, identify two ways out of each room in your house– typically through a door and a window. Memorize the locations so that you know them so well you could even find them while crawling on the floor in a room filled with smoke. Next, figure out a meeting place outside.
Regarding your pets, it’s best if you know where they’re at should a fire start– so keeping them in a cage at night can actually be a good thing since you’ll know exactly where they are located in the home should trouble arise.
If and when a fire occurs, you’ll want to find your pet, pick them up (if possible) and take them with you through the house to safety outside. If possible, keep a collar on your dog. For cats, cat carriers are useful. Know their favorite hiding spots so you can find them when necessary.
Smoke gets a pet nervous. So, do your best to calm them down and keep them close to you in the event of a smoky fire. This means having a leash available to hook up to your dog’s collar. Put your cat in a cat carrier. For other pets, grab their cage or bowls/aquariums if possible and take them with you.
If and when you end up outside but your pet doesn’t, in the case of dogs and cats you can leave a door or window open hoping they’ll find their own way out of the burning building. Call your pet’s name– that can help direct them where to go.
What about for the times you’re not at home but your pet is? Put a pet alert window cling prominently on your front window alerting authorities to the pets inside. FYI: firefighters are trained to look for these stickers.
Finally, know this: there are oxygen masks especially designed for use on pets! Many fire departments have and use them, so that’s good to know.
Protect you and your family by having the proper fire alarm parts in place.
