Each year approximately 500,000 pets are injured or killed in house fires, home emergencies, auto accidents and natural disasters.
Why?
NO information was available regarding the pets and they were overlooked or time just ran out.
Just like standing in the smoke from a campfire or BBQ and not being able to get away from it, you would start to choke and suffer from smoke inhalation. However, in a house fire the smoke is more toxic due to the gases released from other burning objects. Once you start to inhale the smoke, you are not getting enough oxygen to live. Depending on the density and heat of the smoke, it may take 2 to 10 minutes to pass out or die. If there is more oxygen in the room, then you would have more time (but not much). Fire burns oxygen, so as a fire continues to be active, more oxygen gets removed from the room. Smoke puts too much carbon monoxide into the lungs which prohibits oxygen into your body and carbon dioxide getting released out of your body. Usually causing you to pass out before dying and can cause brain damage. Fifteen minutes of straight smoke (0% oxygen) would kill you; 5-10 minutes would cause permanent brain damage in humans. Just like humans, pets usually have less than twenty minutes depending upon the location of the house fire and how hot and fast it is burning.
- Birds only have a few minutes due to their small lungs.
- Dogs usually get excited, panic and hyper ventilate during a fire, so they inhale smoke faster and have usually about 10-15 minutes depending on their size.
- Cats usually hide and lay low where the smoke is less, so they have the longest chance to strive, maybe about 15-20 minutes.
- Other Caged pets are at the mercy of their location and the type of fire.
QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR PET’S SAFETY:
- How long does it take for you to get home from work in an emergency?
- Do you have a fire alarm that calls 911?
- Will firefighters know about your pets?
- Does your neighbor know that you have pets and where they are located?
- Who knows the emergency contact to house or help your pet?
That’s why the Pet Alert Emergency Information System was created.
- Pet Alert ensures that the correct information is given to first responders.
- The Pet Alert Kit is NOT just an insufficient window sticker.
- Pet Alert gives your pet(s) a voice during an emergency situation.
- It provides vital and in-depth information about your pets.
- The Pet Alert Kit includes specially designed information tools.
- The Deluxe Pet Alert Kit also includes a backpack, flashlight and collapsible bowl for evacuation situations.
Camy Thumwood and her company Pet Alert is dedicated to pet safety and fire life safety education that focuses on safeguarding first responders, pets and animals during all types of 911 emergency situations.
www.petalert.com
