The other day I came across a Facebook post that sent shivers up my spine. It was posted by someone I personally know from many years ago. She's a Dog Mom. The post described what had happened earlier in the day. She ran a few errands and got her grocery shopping done for the week. She had been gone for a little over 2 hours. When she returned home, the first thing she heard was the smoke alarms going off. She rushed inside and was greeted by a light haze of smoke. After calling 911, she grabbed her fur-kids and waited outside.
The fire department showed up and immediately located the problem. One of the air conditioners had overheated and started smoking. There was no fire. No damage. All she needed to do was open the windows and doors to air out her home. The on-site fire personnel told her that she was very lucky. She returned home just in time. Had she arrived home any later, she would have been greeted by a full-blown fire.
After reading her post, I could feel shivers creep up my spine. I can't even imagine. The woman who wrote the post said, "That was one hell of a wake-up call."
Due to work schedules, our crazy Dog Mom life, Bodacious Biscuit Love, and everything between, we very seldom leave the house together. When we do, it's only for a few hours and it's a lengthy process that takes about 20 minutes.
1. We make sure everything is turned off. That includes air conditioners in the Summer, space heaters in the Winter, the coffee pot, tart warmers, the washer and dryer, night light, etc. Nothing, aside from the refrigerator, is left on when we leave the house.
2. All the windows are checked. We have 10 windows in our home and we double check to make sure that all of the windows are locked and secured.
3. Informing one of our neighbor friends. Whether it's the day before or the day of, we always let one of our neighbor friends know that we'll both be away from the house for a few hours. They have our numbers just in case something happens.
4. The blinds and curtains are closed. We have a few windows in our home that people could potentially peep through. To prevent anyone from getting a good view of what's happening inside, we close all of the blinds and curtains.
5. No edibles are left out. A lot of pet parents give their furry kids treats as they head out the door. Not us. We give them a treat shortly before leaving, but we always make sure the kids have eaten them before stepping out.
6. There's nothing posted on social media sites giving any indication that we won't be home. I get irritated when pet parents post that they're "heading out for the day" or will be spending the day at the beach, amusement park, or another location away from home. If I post about a fun adventure Lisa and I had away from home, it's done after we get back.
Sure, it takes extra time to do all of the above, but the safety of our kids and home is our priority. And yes, I'm aware that even with the best intentions and efforts, there's always a chance that something could happen. However, it's important to take the time to minimize those chances.
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