I seem to recall three instances of ferrets saving owners from fires over
the years, but only recall detail on two.  The first we heard of was
reported by UFO early on when they were in one of the mid-Atlantic seaboard
states but also seem to recall the FML existed at that point rather than one
of its predicessors.  That one happened in upstate N.Y.  as memory serves
and the ferret was not caged and behaved as Bill described, waking the
owners by rousing them from sleep.  The most recent also involved rousing
from sleep but the ferret involved was caged and did so by screaming at the
top of its lungs.
 
Fires are not very common.  Things like eating ear plugs, sponges, tub
stoppers, erasers and so on are, ditto getting injured by couch or bed
springs, falling badly and so on.  We cage when they aren't supervised.  Of
course, our main cage IS now 2' by 2' by about 5' and stocked with
diversions and levels.
[Posted in FML issue 1944]