Gracie is a courageous seven month old puppy when she saved her sleeping family. Most dogs earn their high praise status over the length of their lives but this pup was a super achiever in more ways than one! She has already earned her status and in a remarkable way no matter how old she might be.
Here Is How The Sleeping Family Was Saved
Meet Gracie. This Labrador Retriever mixed breed lives in Glendale, Az with her adopted family, the Reinharts. Only a few nights ago, this precious puppy proved her worth to the family. This one act will be enough to last a lifetime.
The Rheinhart family was sound asleep. Shortly after midnight, Gracie’s incessent barking woke the Rheinharts. Rob and Maura woke first. Maura tells us how it happened.
“She was just barking like crazy, yeah, just at the bathroom door, just would, like, would not stop….I just thought she’s barking and my husband got up, and he’ll handle it, and he’ll calm her down and bring her back up on the bed and she’ll fall back to sleep. But that’s not … that was not the case.”
Why Gracie Was Barking Enough To Wake the Sleeping Family
Some dogs seem to enjoy barking for no apparent reason. This was not the case with Gracie. Her keen sense of smell had drawn her attenton to something no one else in the family had noticed. What Gracie had noticed were the fumes coming from an exhaust fan in the family bathroom.
With all of Gracie’s attention being drawn to the bathroom, it did not take long for Maura and Rob to discover the fire that had caught her attention. The exhaust fan in the bathroom was on fire. All they could see were bright orange flames flashing from the vent.
Maura took their children to safetly outside and dialed 911 for help. Rob took action and smothered the flames with a wet towel. He prevented the fire from getting totally out of control and putting hte entire house in danger of bursting into flames.
The Saved Family Gives Credit Where It Is Due
The Firefighters rushed to the scene and proceeded to make sure the fire was completely out and posing no further damage to the Rheinhart home. Rob had done an excellent job of putting out the exhaust fan fire.
However, the entire family made it extremely clear who the real of the evening was to anyone who would listen. Gracie gave the warning of danger and is responsible for the sleeping family being saved.
Had she not sounded the alarm with her barking, the fire could easily have spread before anyone had the opportunity to stop it from going further.
Maura shared the story of how Gracie brought their attention to the danger posed to the sleeping family on Facebook. She sang Gracie’s praise to anyone who would listen.
Their seven year old daughter, Brynn, also spoke out on the topic, saying, “She’s really smart. “She’s like a really brave and stuff.”
What If Your Dog Isn’t As Sensitive To The Smell of Smoke As Gracie?
The Fire Department recommends this: “If your dog isn’t quite as amazing as Gracie, be sure to check that your smoke alarms are in proper working order. Stay safe.”
Tips On How To Keep Your Family Safe From Vent Fire Hazards
- Bathroom exhaust fans are not made for long periods of use, only for short periods such as during a shower. Turn them off immediately after use. Installing a timer helps to prevent excessive use.
- It any fan is not readily accessible to be cleaned, displays any heat damage or does not freely turn it should be removed. Units that are thermally protected are safer and make good replacements.
- Follow the recommendations by the manufacturer when cleaning and inspecting exhaust fans on a regular schedule.
- The cover of the fan should be completely removed when cleaning and the motor cleared of all lint with special attenton paid to the areas of air flow.
- Use warm soapy water to wash the cover of the fan and be sure to remove all lint. If mold is present bleach needs to be added to the soapy water. Do not reassemble the fan until it is completely dry.
If you like to read about dogs saving people, you will love this article for sure. https://happymutt.org/dog-rescued-abandoned-baby/
The original story appeared in The Western Journal
Photo of Glendale Fire truck Courtesy of Glendale Fire Department Face Book Page