What is your plan in case of a fire?

[Tonya]

I was just wondering what everyone's plans are if there was a fire.

My mom's house was a total loss a few years ago. They were able to set the dogs free, but my brother's fish, snakes, and iguanas perished. He's got one snake that survived the fire. It has scars on it's back and it won't grow because of the trauma.

Anyways, I really don't know what I would do. My dogs would be easy, but I know darn well, that Ron and Raven would run and hide from me. Especially if they sensed my urgency.

[NoahsMommy]

Well, we keep all the cat carries assembled in our den, just for this reason. I know I could grab all the cats, but Hermoine. If David was home, I bet we could get her.

Its scary to think about that.

[lizzielou742]

Put Sophie in the carrier that is right by my bedroom door. Put Tito's leash on him, if no time, then throw him in the same carrier as Sophie. Inside my (fireproof) bedside table, I have a lockbox with expensive jewelry, birth certificate, and social security card in it. Grab that and purse and boyfriend and go!

[jazzcat]

Panic because I'm am absolutely terrified of fire.

Guess I need a plan.

[mina'smomma]

Mina's kennel is right by our bedroom door and we have easy access to the roof so we can jump off it with Mina.

Plus we also have a ladder to climb down too.

[sirrahbed]

I never thought of it!!!
Better start thinking!! We always had a plan for the skinkids. We did have one fire in the chimney years ago and I had the presense of mind to grab our two geriatrics cats and dash for the car in the street Sheesh - what would we do with FIVE???
How about you guys with MORE??

[Tonya]

Originally posted by lizzielou742
Put Sophie in the carrier that is right by my bedroom door. Put Tito's leash on him, if no time, then throw him in the same carrier as Sophie. Inside my (fireproof) bedside table, I have a lockbox with expensive jewelry, birth certificate, and social security card in it. Grab that and purse and boyfriend and go!

A fireproof bedside table? That's great. I'd like to see a picture of that. Where'd you get it? You also want to have all of your insurance info in there too. If you don't have your policy in writing, they can be quite scandalous.

[rg_girlca]

Have 3 cat carriers all within reach in my bedroom. Hopefully would be able to get all cats without a panic into them. Buddy's leash is on a hook on my door. Front door is right by my bedroom. If I can't get out there, then out through the bedroom window, onto the awning, hop over bannister onto the gallery and down the stairs we go.

[lizzielou742]

Tonya, it's a file cabinet on wheels with locking drawers. My parents got it for me for high school graduation. I keep ALL my paperwork in there: insurance policies, tax stuff, everything.

Here's what it looks like:

http://www.bizchair.com/wc84852-bhf.html

Now, that isn't the company's website (can't find it) but on that site, it does not list this file cabinet as fireproof, but when I got it I specifically remember talking about the thing being fireproof. So now I'll have to double-check that somehow! Probably I have been thinking the thing's fireproof this whole time and it's not. Oh well!

But, I do have one of these: http://www.sentrysafe.com/Products.asp?r=1&s=4 that is definitely fireproof, so maybe I'll start keeping stuff in there.

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

Our cat carriers are stored in the laundry room next to the kitchen, and the cats are shut in the kitchen at night anyway, so we should be able to find them and grab them quite easily.

[nibblets]

One of my co workers had a house fire while they were away from home. They lost several beloved pets. Afterwards she made sure to tell everyone that one of the best things you can do is put signs on your doors telling the fire department there are pets in the home, including what type and how many.

I made my own signs on the computer and put on the doors, but you can order stickers such as these online or pick them up at the pet supply stores.


She strongly urged anyone who didn't have them to get them, so they would have a chance for survival if no one is home to help them out.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I actually had occassion to put my plan into action a few years back. I lived in an apartment building in Chicago and Saturday morning the building alarm went off. Not just the smoke detector, but the fire alarm! The absolute very first thing I did was put Peanut in the carrier and put Tubby's leash on him - good and tight! Only then did I investigate as to what was going on and what I should do. It was a mid-rise building, and most times you're supposed to stay put until further notice - and don't open any doors. Well, my apartment was the end unit - right next to the fire exit, so I risked it and opened the door to see what was going on. Turns out the maintenance guy was walking by right then and he told me to not worry, that the fire was already out. Some lady had left a towel on her stove - with the stove on - and it had created enough smoke to set off the building alarm, but it was nothing serious. Whew! I let everything calm down - including myself - before I let Peanut out of her carrier and took Tubby's leash off.

The good news about all this though, was that it was a small apartment and neither cat could really hide anywhere. Now, in the house, there are way too many hiding spots and I know Peanut would find the best one possible - for her that is - and the worst one possible for me to be able to find her. She's the only one I worry about. Tubby doesn't move very fast and doesn't get excited about anything so he'd be easy to catch.

It's good to have a plan, but I sure hope that none of us have to ever put that plan into action!

[catmandu]

I have windows,on the second floor,that I can open,and they can get,on to a landing,where they should be able,to get,to the ground!If I dont panic,that is! that is a Great Thread,as it started me,thinking!

[rkidsrcats]

Hubby and I have discussed this alot. We keep the carriers out and handy - mostly in the CatRoom and the tribe sleep in them sometimes. And we make sure there aren't hiding places that we don't have access to in case we have to search & rescue for a scared cat. In our old house in CT. the guys would get up into the basement rafters and goof around or go there if someone new came to the house to visit. I knew that would be a preferred hiding place in case of a fire, so we finally blocked off access to the rafters.
Our house in WA. doesn't have a basement and it would be much easier to find everyone in case of emergency. I would LOVE to devise some kind of automatic escape window/hatch that would only open in case of fire and would let them out into an enlcosure away from the house. Pretty high tech, I know, but I worry most about a fire happening when I'm not at home.
Good thread for thought.

[Don Juan's mom]

I don't have a fire plan, but I probably should. There was a fire in the building next door which completely destroyed one apartment. The family got out all right, but they lost everything.

I do have a sticker on my door asking that emergency personnel please rescue my cat. They come in a set of two, and I bought them at Petco.

Liz