New masks help firefighters save pets’ lives

by Elysia Conner
Saturday, February 6, 2010 2:59 PM MST

Man’s best friend deserves safety measures too. That’s the idea behind the new pet oxygen recovery mask kits for pets.

Casper FirenEMS now can deliver life-saving oxygen to animal fire survivors. Thanks to the Central Wyoming Kennel Club and the Invisible Fence Company, all area fire agencies are supplied with pet oxygen masks in three sizes to recover cats to large dogs.

They are needed, according to Bob Fawcett, fire engineer of Casper FirenEMS. Often during structure fires, firefighters rescue pets that have been exposed to smoke and fire.

Just as with people, delivering oxygen to animals suffering from smoke inhalation significantly improves chances of survival and recovery.

Created specifically for pets, the masks cover and seal around the mouth and nose areas. Casper firefighters have saved pets’ lives with human oxygen masks, but the gas tends to run out the sides because of poor fit, according to Fawcett.

The pet masks are used the same way human masks are, and attach to the same equipment. A large dog even requires the same level of oxygen as does a man.

“The pets don’t always get out,” Fawcett said. They have a tendency to hide from the fire while their families evacuate to safety. It’s actually common for firemen to bring out animals after the people are safely accounted for.

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