Protecting Pets from Home Fires

“My fur babies” is how Jane Cruz describes her two beloved cats, Allie and Blake.

“They mean the world to us and without them, we would be heartbroken,” said Jane.

The unthinkable almost happened April 15 when Jane and her husband, Tony, left the cats home alone. Within minutes, an exposed wire in a dishwasher sparked a fire, filling the small house in a Detroit suburb with smoke.

Fortunately, the home's ADT monitored security system detected the fire and sent a signal to one of the company's monitoring centers in Tennessee. It also alerted Jane and Tony through their mobile devices.

Tony rushed home, arriving alongside firefighters. While they snuffed out the smoke, Tony coaxed Allie and Blake outside. The rapid response prevented any significant damage to the home and saved the cats.

Given that small animals breathe more rapidly than humans, pets can quickly die from smoke inhalation. In fact, the National Fire Prevention Association estimates 500,000 pets are affected by home fires each year with 40,000 dying, mostly in homes without monitored fire protection.

To raise awareness, ADT and the American Kennel Club (AKC) teamed up to declare July 15 as National Pet Fire Safety Day.

ADT also distributes free pet window alerts which can be affixed to front doors or windows. During an emergency, responders will know the accurate number of pets to search for after humans are helped.

Jane and Tony are grateful tragedy was avoided. They got to thank firefighters during anADT LifeSaver celebration on May 12 where they also met Pryj Kelley, the ADT dispatcher who received the alarm signal and called 911.

“I am so happy everything turned out okay and ADT was there when you needed us,” said Pryj.