Sometimes You Just Need A Good Cry

I saw this video on You Tube the other day and my heart went out to these people. How so very hard it is to lose a beloved pet. What is even worse is to feel the guilt of some how thinking it is your fault or that you could have prevented it (which these people couldn't have done). It was not their fault at all. Things just happen sometimes that you can't prevent or explain.

I did a blog about Fire Safety (Pet Oxygen Masks) in August. One can't stress safety enough when precious lives are at stake. Each year, before the winter season, have your chimney's and furnaces checked and cleaned if necessary. Why should you clean your chimney you ask? Well, creosote (residue of the wood you burn) builds up in your chimney and can catch on fire resulting in a flue fire. These can be very dangerous and are easily avoided by keeping your chimney clean. To learn more about how often and why you should clean your chimney click here.

One other thing to remember is to never ever, ever, ever leave candles burning unattended for any reason. I used to be a Property Manager of an apartment community and I saw numerous cases where people were severely hurt (and almost died) from leaving candles burning. Entire apartment buildings burned down to the ground from one single candle. A man and his 7 month old baby were barely saved from a fire that another neighbor caused (by accident). I saw pet parents screaming in shear terror wondering if their pets got out safely and were rescued from the burning flames. I started using the battery powered flameless candles and I LOVE them. I splurge on the really good quality ones (Raz Imports brand) because the cheap ones don't illuminate as well. In this case, spend the extra money on the good quality ones. 

Do a checklist in your home of potential fire hazards, write them down and do what is needed to make them safe. Here are a few that come to mind right now:
1. Change batteries in your smoke detectors on a regular basis.
2. Clean your dryer screen after every load you dry (so many people forget to do this).
3. Also clean your dryer vents once a month with a dyer vent cleaning tool and have a professional clean the vent and hoses once a year.
4. Make sure your light bulbs in your electrical fixtures are the right wattage. Make sure you do not go over the maximum wattage listed.
5. Have your HVAC checked and serviced at least once a year (this also helps with energy conservation).
6. Have your fireplace chimney cleaned once a year (if needed)
7. Use battery powered flameless candles instead of the real ones.

If you have a home alarm system, they have new things out that will help detect fires and carbon monoxide in the home and prevent unnecessary damage and death. They cost a little extra money up front but are well worth the investment.

Sherry was kind enough to share her love and her pain to make us aware of fire hazards in the home. This video is a beautiful tribute to her beloved pet and best friend Rusty. Watch it with a box of tissues.




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