Did you know that February is Responsible Pet Owner’s Month? This February ABCO wants to encourage you to ensure that your pets are safe in the event of a fire. Follow these tips in order to make sure your pet can be rescued.

1.)  Make sure your pets are close to entrances/exits when you are away from home. Having your pet collared and leashes nearby in case of a fire can help fire fighters safely rescues animals from burning houses.

2.)  Keep young pets in a confined area. By veifying that young animals are in enclosed parts of your home you can prevent them from potentially starting the fire. Crates and baby gates are easy ways to secure an area to a pet.

3.)  Use monitored smoke detectors. When pets are left alone it is nearly impossible for them to escape a burning home.  Using a smoke detector connected to a monitoring center, emergency responders can be contacted when you are away.

4.)  Affix a pet alert window cling. Have the number of pets inside your home written down and attached to a static cling on a front window. Rescuers can save a lot of time when locating your pets. Make sure the list is up-to-date.

Throughout the month we encourage you to understand the importance of being a responsible pet owner as well as explain the importance to others. Pets have a heart too, they hurt and cry just like we do. During this month, help spread the word and celebrate Responsible Pet Owners Month.

Fire fighters who are accountable for responding to situations dealing with hazardous materials must be well educated on how to protect themselves and the public. Situations that may involve hazardous materials include stabilizing meth labs, responding to terrorist attacks, or going into buildings that may have gunpowder. There are three key aspects that firemen must do when entering into these types of hazmat circumstances: assessment of the threat, safety equipment and event preparation. Let’s take a more in depth look at each of these aspects.

Assessment of the Threat

• - Firefighters responding to hazardous materials (hazmat) events use assessment as an important first step. The New York Fire Department described a 1996 training session as including “training in basic hazard and risk assessment techniques, and an understanding of basic hazardous materials terms.”

Safety Equipment

• - Firefighters protect themselves by using equipment when responding to hazmat situations, which includes foam spray or respirators. A University of Missouri firefighter’s course has firefighters train in hazardous materials suits, offering “opportunities for students to work in PPE (personal protective equipment), and to perform tasks that technicians are expected to perform.”

Event Preparation

• - Hazmat emergencies may not unfold in a predictable fashion. Firefighters must be prepared for varying weather conditions, limited accessibility and visibility issues. David Peterson, a Wisconsin-based 29-year veteran firefighter and hazardous materials instructor with the Madison Fire Department, created a scenario that required firefighters to bring a small step ladder and hand lights to better navigate dark rooms.

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Watch this video on how to protect your home from dryer vent related fires.

At ABCO, we are authorized to distribute all major suppression manufacturers and can assure compliance with correct hazard protection and system functionality. We service all types and brands of suppression systems including CO2, Foam, Clean Agent, Dry Chemical and Wet Chemical.

Fire protection for all areas of your home or business is a growing concern. Here at ABCO we believe that every application is unique and not one system works best in every application. We want to find what works best for you. Agent cost, recharge pricing, health and environmental concerns, storage space and serviceability are all big factors. So, let us be your expert and show you what each system has to offer and what we feel would work best for you.

For more information or to schedule an appointment complete the Contact Us form or call us at 1.800.875.7200.