FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Monday, January 26, 2015
Media Contact:
Joel H. Hersh – Executive Director Pennsylvania State Animal Response Team
2605 Interstate Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17110 | PH: 717-651-2736| Cell: 717-919-7495 | c-jhersh@pa.gov
With the frigid temperatures quickly approaching, PASART encourages all residents of the Commonwealth to take precautions when using space heaters. According to the U.S. Fire Administration’s (USFA’s) National Fire Incident Reporting System, national estimates for the leading reported causes of fires in residential buildings for 2012, the most recent year data is available, are: Cooking fires at 182,000 fires and second, heating fires at 45,200 fires.
The leading factor contributing to home heating fires was failure to properly clean heating equipment, primarily chimneys before use. Placing things that can burn too close to heating equipment or placing heating equipment too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattress, or bedding, were among the leading factors contributing to ignition in fatal home heating fires and accounted for more than half of home heating fire deaths. In the event of a fire, your pets need protection as much as the rest of the family. Here is a list ofsome things you can do in your home…
- Be sure you have working smoke detectors on every level of your home.
- Have an emergency exit plan that includes your pets, and practice the plan regularly.
- Make sure pets always wear identification
- Research a safe place to take your pets.
- Assemble a disaster kit.
- Give a key to a trusted neighbor.
- Ask your local fire department if they carry pet oxygen masks on their fire trucks.
- Listen to your dog.
About CARTs: County Animal Response Teams were formed as an initiative the PA State Animal Response Team (PASART) a private non-profit organization which receives the majority of its funding from the federal government through the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). CARTs consists of volunteers from all walks of life – from experienced emergency responders, veterinary technicians, animal trainers and handlers to other men and women concerned with the welfare of animals. CARTs are based on the principals of the Incident Command System developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and involves a coordinated effort of government, corporate and animal organizations. For more information regarding Pennsylvania CARTS visit www.pasart.us
