Pack a Bed - Pet Disaster Preparedness

No matter where you are in the country, there is likely some sort of natural disaster that could hit your home.

If you are in hurricane country, you know the familiar watches and warnings that come up as a storm closes in. You also probably know what type of items you need to pack before you jump on that evacuation route and head to safer territory. The same goes for those who are in earthquake territory, tsunami zones or flood prone areas.

Among the items you pack are those things that your family will need to survive for a few days, as well as anything that could not be replaced if the disaster were to destroy your home, like insurance papers and family photos. But what do you take for your pet?

The family pet is sadly often shuffled aside when it comes to making a list of things you need to evacuate with. You figure you will just scoop up your dog and put him in a carrier as you leave. This is not the best way to deal with this member of your family.

Have you noticed your dog spending more time near his bed? Pet senses are much keener than human senses and they know that something is happening. By staying near his bed, pet dogs are showing you they feel like they need to find somewhere safe to be because something bad is happening.

It's not just their keen senses about the weather that makes them go to their bed. Pet senses also tune into what you are doing. As you are zipping around the house trying to sort everything out and get ready to evacuate, your dog notices. When you see him sitting there looking worried in his bed, pet him to let him know it's ok. Animals can get stressed just as much as people can.

Additionally, you need to know how to make sure this member of your family is properly represented in the disaster items you are packing. What about their bed? Pet needs are pretty simple. They need food, water and a place they feel safe. This place is their bed.

Since you are going to be making your pet leave your home and go on a stressful ride with you to some new and unfamiliar territory, it would be nice for them to have something that is familiar, like their bed. If you are going to be going to a shelter and have to leave your pet somewhere else, like a humane society shelter, you definitely want to make sure you leave their bed. This will give your pet something that at least smells a little like home and that they know was a safe thing in the past. By Jennifer Akre

How to Improve Holiday Fire Safety at Home

It seems hard to believe in this day and age with so much fire prevention awareness, smoke detectors, and other safety items around the house, but there continues to be way to many residential fires every holiday season. Every Christmas, fires and the havoc they bring increase by over 50% during the holiday season. There really is no need for this, and it's quite preventable with a little common sense. As you may have guessed, the biggest cause of all these fires are home Christmas trees, and festive holiday candles.

It's pretty scary how quickly a dry Christmas tree can burst into flames and quickly engulfed a room with smoke and fire. A large majority of these fires can be prevented with a little careful tree maintenance. Simply keeping a tree well watered is one step. There are several other things to consider as well.

While it may seem obvious not to place the Christmas tree in front of the fireplace, you'd be surprised how many people still do. At the very least, if your tree is one of those near your fireplace it should never ever be left unattended, while the fireplace is in use. It's not just fireplaces that are of concern here of course. Heat vents are also a major contributor in drying out Christmas trees.

While I'm all for getting into the Christmas spirit as soon as possible, the longer a tree is up the greater the chance it's going to dry out. Another problem, is getting your tree too early. If you do set your tree up early, you really really, need to be vigilant about keeping a well watered. Keep a careful eye on the needles of the tree. These are the first warning sign of a tree that is beginning to dry out. If they're hard and constantly falling off, either the tree either needs more water, or needs to be removed from the house.

Many cities offer recyclable areas for Christmas trees, but only last for a short period after Christmas. By taking advantage of these recyclable areas, you're making a more environmental choice, as well as getting a potentially dry tree out of the house in a timely manner. Low energy use lights free trade are also not only environmental, but potentially fire saving as well. Low energy use LED lights are excellent in this regard.

Candles are great around Christmas, and can really help set the mood. But don't let that mood engulfed your house in flames. Be extra vigilant of children around any candles you may be using. As well, make sure your candles are in safe candleholders. Meaning, candleholders that dissipate heat, and keep other flammable objects away from the flame.

If everyone followed the a few simple tips, it would be a much happier Christmas for everyone. We just need to be a little more vigilant. By Chris Campbell