THE SITUATION
Serena had both a toddler and a pit bull. Sadie, her pit bull, sometimes got into trouble and made a mess. For this reason, she was sometimes put in time out. Sadie also loved to escape the house. This time, when she escaped, the dog saved her family from a potential explosion.
When Serena was at work, she had systems put into place to prevent Sadie from escaping. One element of these systems was a wooden stopper which made it impossible to open her sliding screen door.
Another element was in her backyard. It included items barricading the fence so that, even if she happened to get outside, Sadie could not leave the yard.
A GREAT ESCAPE IS HOW A DOG SAVED HER FAMILY
While Serena was at work one day, Sadie tried furiously to get out. She scratched at windows and the front door and was eventually able to remove the wooden door stopper and escape into the backyard. From there, she somehow managed to get over the barricaded fence and out into the neighborhood!
THE CHASE
It did not take much time before the police began to receive calls alerting them of a pit bull running loose in the neighborhood. Once police officers were able to track her down, Sadie began running and led them back to her house. The officers noticed the back door was cracked open.
THE SURPRISE ENDING
The officers could smell an overpowering scent of gas! They were quick to act and soon there were police officers and firefighters everywhere taking care of this problem.
Serena, still at work, received a call from a neighbor informing her of the chaos going on at her home. When Serena got back from work, the officers told her about the gas leak and what Sadie had done. Everyone was amazed at how the dog had saved her family from a potential explosion.
Serena is extremely grateful to Sadie for saving their home and their lives!
Thank you to Eyewitness News ABC7NY via YouTube for the video.
Here is how to avoid needing a dog to save the family from a potential explosion.
About 40 Americans a year lose their lives to a gas leak. These leaks are usually caused by a faulty appliance of some kind. It may be poorly made or maintained and, therefore, allows a gas leak to occur. Insisting on all installations to be done by an accredited Gas Safe engineer can help minimize the risk of a leak happening.
Leaks can lead to explosions, fires, and even carbon monoxide poisoning. The leak may be odorless or have the peculiar and easily recognizable smell of natural gas.
What to Look Out For If There Is a Leak
Even if there is no obvious odor to make you aware of a leak, there are other signs of a potential gas leak. Look out for a pilot light that frequently goes out. Check appliances periodically for scorched areas or soot on the outside. A musty smell or windows with heavy condensation on the outside may indicate a leak has occurred as well.
If odorless, look out for symptoms such as dizziness, light-headedness, and or nausea. Quickly getting outside into the fresh air will help clear these symptoms but oxygen may be needed if the exposure is lengthy.
What to Do or Not to Do To Avoid Needing A Dog to Save A Family From A Potential Explosion
Turning off the gas at the source (meter) is critical as is opening windows and doors to air our house. Avoid electric switches and do not light matches or candles during this time. Even the doorbell going off can spark a fire.
Avoid using your cell phone, but call your local fire department to notify them of the leak.
Be sure to have installed a carbon monoxide alarm in your home and keep fresh batteries installed. Document regularly scheduled battery checks to be sure they are not allowed to die.
This may seem to be overly cautious right now, but if your life depended on it being done, you may not think it was over the top. Better safe than sorry.
