ADT Recognizes National Pet Fire Safety Day

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

ADT ADT, the nation's leading home security and automation provider, today is recognizing National Pet Fire Safety Day – a day that ADT and the American Kennel Club first designated in 2009 to help educate consumers about the potential risks involved when pets are left home alone.

While living environments for pets within the home vary, they are defenseless in their surroundings when faced with emergency situations such as fire or carbon monoxide leaks. Fortunately, systems like ADT Pulse® ensure that owners can monitor their beloved pets while away from the home through real-time alerts and video monitoring in the event of an emergency.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, fires in the home are reported every 83 seconds, and ADT customer Chris Sacra of Norfolk, Va., knows these statistics all too well. Just a few weeks ago, Sacra received an emergency call from ADT that his kitchen was on fire. Sacra quickly verified the fire by using his ADT Pulse app to access a video feed into his home. Sacra then rushed home to rescue his beloved Labrador, Sophie, just seconds after the fire department arrived on the scene. While there was heavy smoke damage to the home, Sophie survived unharmed and none of Sacra's irreplaceable possessions were damaged.

“Had it not been for monitored protection from ADT, it is likely my dog Sophie wouldn't be here today,” said Sacra. “I'm so grateful that ADT was there to help keep us safe, which gives me tremendous peace of mind even while away at work.”

If you are a pet owner, here are a few safety precautions to follow:

• When you're not at home, keep pets near doors – When leaving pets home alone, it is important to keep them in an area near entrances where firefighters can easily find them. Similarly, young pets like puppies and kittens should be left comfortably in a crate to avoid the potential risks of chewing wires or other potential fire hazards while you are away.
• Watch for fire hazards you might not expect – Pets are curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even fires in your fireplace. In fact, the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) reports that 1,000 house fires each year are accidentally started by pets. You should also pet proof your home by identifying risks such as stove knobs, loose wires and other potential hazards.
• Enlist a monitored security provider to help – Since pets are not able to let you know when something is amiss, consider a system like ADT Pulse that can send automated alerts to your smartphone if its in-home sensors detect something wrong. Plus, you can rest assured knowing that ADT is monitoring your home 24/7 for smoke, fire and carbon monoxide, and can dispatch officials in the case of an emergency.

• Know who will rescue Fido – All families should practice how they will escape the home in the case of a fire under different situations. While running drills, be sure to discuss who is responsible for evacuating pets from the home.
• Let emergency crews know they are inside – Pet owners should post a notification near each of the entrances of the home that detail how many animals are located inside.

For more information on ADT Pulse and how it can help protect your pets, please visit http://www.adt.com/pet-safety.

About ADT

ADT Security Services is a leading provider of electronic security, interactive home and business automation and monitoring services for residences and small businesses in the United States and Canada. ADT's broad and pioneering set of products and services, including ADT Pulse® interactive home and business solutions, and home health services, meet a range of customer needs for today's active and increasingly mobile lifestyles. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, ADT helps provide peace of mind to more than six million customers, and it employs approximately 16,000 people at 200 locations. More information is available at www.adt.com.