Animals
Random Thoughts On…
Photos of caring firefighters removing unconscious household pets from fire buildings are common, and they make fine public relations. It’s only fine, however, if the pet was removed after the primary search was completed. Practice concern for pets at fires, but remember that they aren’t human beings and should never be treated as such during firefighting.
Locating and removing an animalshould never be the cause of aborting a search for human beings; remember the animal’s location and return later. Nor should a pet cause you to fail in completing any other assignment— gaining roof access, stretching hoses, or whatever.
One of the reasons to carry a goodhandlight is that you must discern the difference between a soft, limp animal and a small human. This is no easy task under conditions of excitement, lack of visibility, and loss of touch because of gloves.
Pet owners can fool you when theysay, “My baby’s in there.” A firefighter would be a fool to pass without questioning the hysterical person firmly as to the exact whereabouts of the victim before plunging into the building. I have learned to add, “What’s the baby’s name?” as I move to the objective. An answer of Spot, Tabby, or Feathers will readjust your thinking and search pattern in the nick of time.
Fire and smoke affect animals just asthey do humans. The animals will either be docile, acting as if they’d been drugged, or they’ll be seeking escape. In either case, they’re manageable. But beware of their return to the building once they’ve recovered in the fresh air.
Dogs fall into three categories:security dogs, which are specially trained to attack always or to bark without attacking; owner-trained dogs, which attack unfamiliar persons; and untrained pets, which bark but usually don’t present problems. Prefire planning in your district will uncover occupancies with security dogs and the phone numbers of owners, who should secure the dogs before firefighters enter in nonfire situations.
Rattling or forcible entry noise will usually bring a dog to the door. A barking dog on the other side of an entrance door causes all to think two, three, and four times. Slowly opening the door will provide time for dog and firefighter to size each other up. Most dogs either will exit the building because of the heat and smoke, or can be maneuvered into an adjoining room by harsh commands or overt gestures.
In rare instances, a tool or chair can be offered to the animal to bite on instead of you. Pull on the object to keep a dog occupied while you call for help or escape.
Fire extinguishers (water or carbondioxide) and hose streams, directed at the animal’s face, will cause the animal to back off. Junkyard dogs can be controlled with a booster line while extinguishment is prepared for and accomplished.
If the emergency allows the time, call the police department or humane society to summon someone who can disable an angry or frightened animal humanely. Striking the animal with a hand tool is the last resort. It’s cruel, and the injury can make the animal more vicious. In addition, security dogs are trained to avoid blows, and once the tool is swung, vital parts of the firefighter are up for grabs.
Inspections may also disclose locations of pet stickers on windows. These should be recognized and ignored during fire conditions. They only serve to encourage poor risk analysis on the part of the firefighter if mistaken for a sticker identifying a child’s location. Public education should encourage removal of pet stickers.
