News - Local - The Cambrian

Published: Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Pet Topics: Lessons learned in fire scare at HART

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We almost had a fire at the Homeless Animal Rescue Team (HART) animal shelter on Main Street; one of our heating pads malfunctioned. I had it set on low, but it burned through the outer plastic and the bedding, all in less than an hour.

I was there for most of that hour, because I was treating an older cat who needed fluids and the heat. While I was giving her the fluids, I had her on the covered heating pad, which is a normal thing to do. Then I left the room to feed others, check on an outside cage, and do closing procedures. I peeked through her window once more, saw that she had moved to the floor to another bed, and entered to turn off the light, never once smelling smoke or detecting any problems.

I signed out at 7 p.m. and drove home. I noticed my answering machine was blinking and there was a message from one of our volunteers, Jill, stating she had come in to HART just 10 minutes after me to check on things, thank goodness, and smelled plastic burning the minute she opened up the front door.

She quickly ran to the treatment room, unplugged and removed the heating pad, removed the cat, and flipped on the outtake fan.

That was close.

The cat was fine, the building survived, but a couple rooms smelled like smoke and burning plastic. She saved the heating pad for me so I could see it. Sure enough, a big black hole about the size of a child’s fist had burned right through all layers of bedding.

In just a few minutes the padded chair would’ve caught fire and then the rest of the room. I took all pieces to the Cambria Fire Department to get any ideas. That heating pad was at least 10 years old, probably older. It looked good on the outside, but years and years of folding it to store it didn’t help, and probably crimped the electrical cording on the inside.

All of our heating pads are at least 10 years old. The firefighters gave me a few tips on electrical cords, commercial vs. residential, and basic stuff us ol’ ladies and non-electrolites don’t know anything about— electricity. They also suggested checking out the pet stores for pet warming items made especially for pets.

I also asked for an inspection, which they promptly did the following Monday. We almost passed, except for a few minor things like making extra keys, signage, and tightening the water heater, all of which we corrected immediately.

For a while now, we’ve had various meetings on emergency procedures, attend countywide VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) meetings, and have built an Adopt-A-Pet Mobile to double as an emergency vehicle if needed, but nothing is set in stone yet. This little fire scare just makes me want to expedite things a little faster.

I think I know what I would do, but thinking, and actually doing, are two different things. Worst case scenario: fire in the middle of the night, blaring sirens, no electricity, it’s dark, and it’s kitten season—which means we’ve got about 100 cats and kittens spread throughout the building, inside and outside. Start where the fire is, and get those cats out first. We start with a phone tree, cat handlers are called first. These people are trained, keep their heads and have worked with scared or feral cats for years. They know how to scruff tight, handle and carry with the least amount of damage to the person and the animal.

They bring their equipment to add to ours (carriers, pillowcases, gloves, flashlights, cell phone, goggles?) and begin an assembly line with handlers and carriers out the doors and windows to the parking lot to waiting cars and our rescue mobile.

What would you do? Have you ever thought about it?Many animals, especially cats, will hide in a closet or under the bed. Know their hiding spots. Have a carrier or a pillowslip handy. Know how to handle or scruff your cat to control it. Maybe when we learn more and practice what we preach, we can hold a class in conjunction with the fire department!

Diana Duncan, president of the Homeless Animal Rescue Team, can be reached at the HART adoption center in Cambria at 927-7377, or send questions to coldnoses@slohart.org. The HART Web site at www.slohart.org has information about lost and found pets and links to other animal welfare sites.