Carolina Beach posts pet fire safety tips as part of Fire Prevention Week

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — This week is fire prevention week. As part of the safety awareness being raised, Carolina Beach has some tips for keeping your pet from causing a fire and what to do if you’re ever faced with a blaze.

Nearly 1,000 fires are started each year by pets, according to The National Fire Protection Association. Chewing electrical cords, knocking over space heaters, turning on the stove, and getting too close to open flames are the top ways pets can set off a chain reaction that ultimately results in a house fire.

While you may never be able to fully prevent such events from happening, you are urged to try to keep pets away from areas or items that could start a fire. Also remember to put a decal in your home’s front door or window indicating the number and type of pets you have – providing this information can cut down on the time responders spend searching your home in the case of a fire.

Some tips to keep you and your pet safe in the event of a fire include:

• Know your pet’s hiding spot. This will make it easier to locate them if they become scared during a blaze.
• Pet proof your house. Keeping hazards out of reach like flammables or electrical wires will reduce the chances they cause a fire.
• Make sure your pet is microchipped or wearing ID. That will be the quickest way to reunite you if you become separated.
• Have an emergency plan in place ahead of time for where you would go with your pet in the event of a fire.