Thanks to a generous donation, Cochrane firefighters won’t be limited to saving residents and combating flames— they can now come to the rescue of those furry family members.
On Jan. 31, Cochrane Fire Services debuted their Pet Oxygen Masks. Donated to the department through Invisible Fence’s Project Breathe, the two kits will aid firefighters in resuscitating pets rescued from fires.
Captain Huw Jeffries, of Cochrane emergency services, contacted Invisible Fence following two animal-related incidents.
The first involved rescuing horses from a trailer, while the second rescue saw a local fireman carting a dog away from a blazing doghouse.
“This is the kind of equipment that, when you need it, you need it immediately,” he said.
And Jeffries didn’t stop there. He contacted the vet clinics in the Cochrane area, each of which supports the initiative. Along with handing over emergency contact information, local veterinarians have offered to teach firefighters the basics of pet first aid.
“Here in Cochrane, they are taking it one step further,” said Greg Deitz of Invisible Fence. “By working with local vets, they are looking even further into saving a pet’s life.”
Each kit includes three masks of varying sizes — to fit the biggest dog muzzles and the most delicate cat noses — along with a hose that attaches to the oxygen tanks firefighters already have handy.
The masks provide supplemental oxygen to pets suffering from smoke inhalation and/or respiratory distress.
The sooner the oxygen is administered, the better, said Jeffries. However, he maintained that people and property would be first priority for responders.
Through Project Breathe, Invisible Fence has donated more than 10,000 pet masks to fire stations throughout Canada and the United States.
