Text my neighbors to save my dogs in a fire

[LeeClancySmith]

I bought the NEST protect smoke/co detectors when it worked with IF this than that. And had it set to text all my neighbors to save my dogs in case of a fire before the fire department arrives (it can take them a long time)

i am currently NOT getting push notifications on my pixel. I have tried ALL the troubleshooting with no success. 

So the only thing that will happen is my dogs will go deaf while they get burned alive.  As a retired Paramedic I have seen this happen WAY too often.

PLEASE help! I NEED to have my neighbors notified and not be a part of of my home. Because they don't live with me.

😭😭

Please save my dogs. 

[jenniffert]

Hi LeeClancySmith,

Thanks for reaching out here in the community! I'm sorry to hear you're not receiving Nest Protect notifications on your Pixel phone. I understand how concerning this is, especially since you set it up to text your neighbors in case of an emergency to help save your dogs. I'd be happy to help!

To better investigate the inconvenience, I'd like to ask the following:

• Have you ever received notifications on your Pixel phone from your Nest Protect?
• Do you have family members added to your account? If so, are they experiencing the same inconvenience?
• Can you describe how you added or set your neighbors to be notified?
• What steps have you taken so far?

In the meantime, I'd suggest the following to isolate the notification issue on your Pixel phone:

• Verify that Google Home, the Nest app, and the mobile software version are updated.
• Make sure you have enabled the notifications in the Nest app for your Nest Protect. For reference, you can check out this article: Change notification settings.
• In case your Nest account has already been migrated to Google, please check whether critical alerts are enabled in the Google Home app.
• Ensure you don't have Do Not Disturb mode enabled on your Pixel phone.

Please keep me posted.

Best regards,

Jenniffer

[LeeClancySmith]

I specifically bought the Google smoke/CO detectors because there was integration with the app "If This Than That" 

I had it set up to send a text message to all of my neighbors in the event of a fire so they can quickly save my dogs. Instead of my dogs just becoming deaf from the sound of the alarm while they burn alive. 

Google and If This Than That had evidently stopped their integration and all we are left with is push notifications and emails.  

While I am certain my problem with the push notification is operator error. It makes no sense to have a notification that your house is on fire receive a peaceful "ding" that is available to select. We should be alerted with a LOUD alarm like when there is an amber alert. 

As far as having my neighbors notified by push notifications? That is evidently not possible. 

Which leaves my last line of defense to be the email.  

Most everyone I know has notifications turned off for their emails and only checks them once a day.  

We NEED the ability to send automatic text messages to all our neighbors. In 2025 with everything as automated as it is. And with competitor products doing this we NEED this feature. 

[LeeClancySmith]

A bit of background. I was the paramedic who responded to a Kennel Fire before the fire department arrived. 

There was nothing set up to notify the owners in the event of a fire at the kennel. A passerby noted that there was a fire and called 911.

Without any protective equipment I went in and saved 16 dogs. 

I then burned my hands terribly while opening all the kennels to see if there was a single little dog alive in the room full of charred corpses. 

While saving the last dog I became overwhelmed and passed out while protecting the dog from the heat. The fire department soon arrived and carried me out to the ambulance for treatment of my burns and smoke inhalation. 

As well. In my line of work I have had to peel too many bedsprings off of burned corpses of people who were overcome with carbon monoxide in their sleep. 

[jenniffert]

Hi LeeClancySmith,

Thanks for following up!

I deeply appreciate you sharing the details and this important information. I understand how worried and concerned it is, especially given your experience as a paramedic.

At the moment, the option to send text messages directly or a loud alarm isn't currently available. I know the value of this feature, and we hope to make it available in the future. In the meantime, I deeply appreciate you sharing your feedback to continue improving our products and meeting your needs.

Keep me posted.

Best regards,

Jenniffer

[LeeClancySmith]

I came home to a smoking aquarium filter that malfunctioned.

All the smoke alarms were going off. 

My dogs were barking and clawing at the door trying to get out of the smoke.

I received NO push notifications, NO emails that there was a fire. 

I received push notifications that I silenced the alarm

I received push notifications when the smoke cleared. 

I am about to write to corporate right now.  

But for $900 with of smoke alarms. I should at least receive a G...D...MED notification when there is a fire in my house.  

[jenniffert]

Hi LeeClancySmith,

Thanks for your response!

I'm so sorry you had to go through this experience, and I sincerely apologize that you weren't notified in advance, especially with your dogs being involved. I know safety is a priority, and I understand how frustrating this must be. Due to privacy restrictions, we're limited in the assistance we can provide on the forums, but the team would like to learn more about this situation. They’ll give you more options and the right resolutions in order to resolve this inconvenience; please fill out this form and let us know when you’re finished. We’ll have someone reach out to you via email from there.

Keep me posted.

Best regards,

Jenniffer

[LeeClancySmith]

I did immediately.  

[7-9417000038113] Your Google Support Inquiry

[jenniffert]

Hi LeeClancySmith,

We got your form—thanks for filling it out. Our team will reach out to you via email to further assist you.

Let me know if you have more questions.

Best regards,

Jenniffer

[DanCoco · Accepted solution]

Sending him that feedback form is pretty demeaning and offensive. We both know that it is used to send customers into a black hole so they might feel like somebody was listening before abandoning them. 

Your instructions to update Google Home make zero sense when the protects are STILL not in there yet. (Beta doesn't count.)

Lee, the push notification issue may not be operator error. I've had issues with it also, and I work in IT. There is a lack of development on Google's part to keep that function working and it has been reported by dozens of users with all kinds of devices. Android and ios. 

The Nest Protects have many commonly reported issues that Google has not addressed or simply acknowledged it knows about. Including batteries that overheat and have caused skin burns, failure to alarm for fire or CO. False activations sometimes repeatedly matching a schedule, failure to notify or interact with the Nest app, selling "new" detectors that have sat in a warehouse for years, etc. 

The worst is Google fails to communicate with its customer base in any way and even comes to threads like yours and answers with a basic template reply, completely dismissing any true concern or empathy for what you've gone through.

Any innovation with these detectors died when Nest was bought. I personally gave up on trying to get my app to work years ago, and treat my detectors as dumb interconnected alarms until they hit expiration. I had planned on buying 11 more detectors but luckily I saw the signs of Google's mismanagement before I gave them more money. I currently own 4 in 2 homes to give me earlier warning of a basement fire.

I'd have to recommend another brand of detector that actually has seen recent development effort and has shown a desire to work with standard smart home protocols rather than stick to a proprietary one like Google. Which I also find laughable that these other brands have detectors that are already working in Google Home. 

[LeeClancySmith]

You were right.  I am crying and angry now.  

Do you know of a smart smoke alarm that I can buy that will actually notify me when my house is full of smoke and my dogs are clawing to escape? 

Something to text ALL my neighbors.