Home Fire Safety Guide
According to the Red Cross, house fires are the most common disaster that they respond to. So far in 2026, there have been approximately 981 house fires in the United States. (https://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/. ) Just in 2024 alone, there were 329,5000 residential fires. Just because it might not have happened to you or your neighborhood, a fire can happen instantly and unpredictably. Many reasons for house fires include:
- Lint from your dryer
- Plugged in electronic / Curler/ Iron/ Fan/ Toaster Oven
- Gas stove not turned off
- Electrical Fires (Wiring in your home)
- Heating
- Cigarette/cigar smoking
- Charging stations(garage)
- Candles
These are just a few examples. To learn more, go to https://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/reports/fire-causes/
There has been some education on fire safety, either from the public education system, government organizations, or townships. Families are recommended to create an “escape plan” where they map out exits they would use in case of a fire, what the protocols are and so on. In this case, we are talking about parents and children, but what about families with beloved furry companions? In case of a fire, there MUST be an escape plan for them too.
As a fur parent or a regular parent, there are many ways to keep your furry family members safe from a fire, and preventative steps/measures. The Red Cross has a couple of tips to help prevent house fires:
- Extinguish open flames: ie: candles, cooking appliances, fireplace.
- Remove stove knobs before you leave your house
- Invest in flameless candles. -prevents your cat from knocking over a lit candle
- Secure young pets when away. Keep them contained in certain areas- preferably near an entrance door so that if a fire occurs, a firefighter can help them right away.
In addition to the Red Cross tips, there are a couple more things you can do around the house to prevent fires, which include a lot of double checking and proactiveness.
FIRE ALARMS
Fire alarms are the backbone in case of a fire. It detects smoke before you do, and some alarms are outsourced to a local network. In order for them to work properly if a fire does start, you need to check on the batteries every so often. The alarms are of no use if the batteries are dead. Especially if a fire starts in the middle of the night, if the fire alarms are dead, you and your family will not wake up or sadly, not wake up in time to get out safely. It’s best to have your whole home hard wired fire detectors. Test annually.
LINT TRAP-DRYER
Besides Kitchen/cooking fires, Fires that start from dryers are the most common house fires. It is ESSENTIAL that right when you put in your wet clothes in the dryer, you need to take out the lint trap. Collect all the lint from the previous load and throw it away. After that, you can turn the dryer on and run a cycle like normal. There are many cases in universities where fire alarms go off, or there’s a real fire threat on campus housing because the students don’t clean out the lint trap. Vacuum out every 3 months.
SUPPRESSION TOOLS
In case of an unexpected fire, it is handy to have suppression tools nearby. Some suppression tools are:
- Fire Extinguisher
- Fire Towel/Blanket
- Fire Extinguishing Ball
- Water Mist Extinguishers
CHECK THE STOVE
Have you or anyone living in your home ever finished cooking and forgot to turn the flame off? Or forgot to turn the oven off when the dish is done? Forgetting to turn off a flame can turn into a disaster. Before you go to bed at night, and before you leave the house, check the stove and make sure all the knobs are turned off and that the oven is off as well. Failure to check opens the possibility of a house fire and your loved ones being at risk.
This list is helpful for small, manageable fires that can be easily put out. For quicker, fast spreading, bigger fires, however, the house must be evacuated immediately and the Fire Station must be called. Also, make sure children cannot reach hot pots or pans.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR ANIMALS
The most important way to protect your animals in case of a fire, is to train them and have a notice on a window stating you have pets inside. Planning an escape route is vital for their safety and your safety. Train your furry loved ones with recall, and repeated drills of exit plans so that when the time comes, you will all be ready.
When not trained, animals will be scared if a fire does start. They will try to find anywhere in the house to hide and to try to feel safe. The only problem is, this delays your exit out of the house, and it causes trouble for the fire fighters who have to go into the house to find them. By training your companions, it will give them a better chance of surviving, and it will get you out safely as well. It would also be beneficial to have a cat/dog door installed to let them get out into a fenced yard.
Another way to keep your animals safe is to always have their collar and ID tag on with up-to-date contact information. That way, if a fire starts while you’re not home, a fire fighter can contact you. It is also very important to either keep them crated by an exit OR keep them contained on the first floor of the house when they are home alone. By doing this, a fire fighter can get to them quicker, without trying to search the whole house.
Finally, remove any exposed wires/electronics from within their reach. If not moved to a safe place, they may chew on the wire/battery and it may cause a spark/fire. This is a huge problem, especially when home alone. Also having cameras installed is a great way to be able to monitor them while away.
https://www.westmetrofire.org/fire-safety-protect-your-pets
IF EXPOSED TO SMOKE
Perhaps there is a fire with lots of smoke. Your family and your animals have been exposed to that smoke. Smoke inhalation is very dangerous and must be treated immediately. It can affect their lungs in the long term. Some side effects your animals may experience are
- Weakness
- Impaired Coordination
- Seizures
- Coma
- Smaller airways
- Difficulty breathing
- Slow heart rate
- drooling/vomit
If your animal has been exposed to smoke or carbon monoxide, YOU MUST bring them to the emergency vet. Especially because smoke inhalation is slow to manifest.
SMOKE INHALATION TREATMENT
- 100% oxygen administration
- Intubation
- Airway examination
- IV and fluid therapy
- Burn management
- Cardiovascular Support
- Respiratory Support
SUMMARY
House fires are one of the most common emergencies families can face, and they can happen without warning due to everyday hazards such as cooking accidents, electrical problems, dryer lint buildup, heating equipment, candles, and charging devices.
While many families create fire escape plans for themselves, it is equally important to include every pet in those plans. By practicing fire prevention, testing smoke alarms regularly, maintaining appliances, keeping fire extinguishers readily available, and creating a clear evacuation plan for both people and pets, families can greatly improve their chances of staying safe during an emergency.
Training pets to respond during an evacuation, keeping identification current, ensuring they have both an implanted microchip and a collar with an engraved ID tag, and understanding the dangers of smoke inhalation can make a life-saving difference when every second counts.
A house fire can happen in an instant, but preparation can determine the outcome. Protecting your home means protecting every member of your family—including the four-legged companions who depend on you for their safety.