On National Fire Pup Day, Kidde Announces Its First Fire Service Dog of the Year

For centuries, firehouse dogs have been loyal companions - assisting firefighters in lifesaving rescues, providing camaraderie in firehouses and bringing smiles to heroic first responders. In recognition of National Fire Pup Day, Kidde today announced fire service dog Birdie, of CAL FIRE, is the winner of Kidde's inaugural Fire Service Dog of the Year Contest.

Kidde launched the Fire Service Dog of the Year 2021 contest on its social media channels to find and celebrate beloved firehouse dogs. U.S. fire departments with working fire dogs were invited to upload creative pictures of the pups as the first-round selection. After identifying the finalists, Kidde opened the contest to the public to determine the winner by popular social media vote.

Birdie received the most votes and won 10 pet oxygen masks (a $1,200 value) for her local fire station, a feature on Kidde.com and Kidde's social media channels, inclusion in Kidde's fire safety materials, a trophy and unlimited barking - that is, bragging - rights.

"Congratulations to Birdie, and the members of CAL FIRE," said Stephanie Berzinski, Fire Safety Educator at Kidde. "At Kidde, it's our mission to ensure pet owners are equipped with the right products, resources, tools and confidence in case of an emergency."

Due to the overwhelming popularity and community support with the contest, Kidde will also award two close runners-up, Kenna from the Riverton Volunteer Fire Company in Barkhamsted, Connecticut and Merle Haggard from the Fort Valley Fire Department in Fort Valley, Virginia.

Kidde is fully devoted to the safety of all family members, both two legs and four legs alike, launching the industry's first-of-its-kind pet-focused campaigns, Pet Fire Safety Month and Pet Carbon Monoxide Safety Day, as part of Carrier's Healthy Homes Program. According to a survey commissioned by Kidde and conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,367 pet owners (i.e. own at least one dog or cat), a vast majority of pet owners (91%) say they will leave their pet home alone more often as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. As a committed advocate of pet fire safety, Kidde shares the following advice to protect and prevent your pets from the dangers of a home fire:

• Safety Window Clings: In an emergency, first responders need to be able to quickly assess the number of pets in a home. Consider attaching a non-adhesive decal to a window near your front door to let rescuers know how many animals are inside.
• Fire Escape Practice: Pets should always be included in a family's evacuation plan. Stay aware of their typical hiding spots or locations where they often nap in case you must evacuate quickly. When you are not home, keep pets in areas near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.
• Train Pets on How to Respond: Pets who are already prone to anxiety when a smoke alarm sounds may become even more so when their owners are not at home. Through its collaboration with celebrity pet trainer Sara Carson, Kidde to respond positively to the sound of a smoke or carbon monoxide (CO) alarm.
• Smoke Alarm Maintenance: Smoke alarms must be replaced after 7-10 years. In addition to testing alarms once each week, check the manufacturing date on your smoke alarms to make sure they are under 10 years of age. If they are older than that, it is time to replace them.