When Lake Hills firefighter/EMT Debbie Lowe was new to the job 17 years ago, she came across a cat involved in a house fire.
“We tried to use a (human) oxygen mask, but it was very difficult. It didn’t fit right,” she said. “We kept on trying and the cat did survive. But it was a miracle.”
Along with about 50 other Lake Hills firefighters, Lowe recently learned about the new Animal Rescue Oxygen Mask kit donated to her station by Justin O’Brien, owner of Invisible Fence of Northwest Indiana.
It was unveiled during an animal rescue and animal CPR session at St. John Fire Department, presented by Valparaiso veterinarian Lisa Booth.
Eighty percent of people will run back into their homes during a fire to get their pets, Booth said, so possessing the animal mask can give the community more confidence knowing that the first responders will be equipped to save a cat or dog caught in a fire.
“I never knew something like this existed,” firefighter Dave Bartos said as he and other audience members practiced CPR maneuvers and proper use of the animal oxygen mask. “It’s good to know we’ll have this available to us.”
The U.S. Fire Administration doesn’t keep statistics regarding the number of pets that die in fires each year, but industry websites and sources have estimated that number to be between 40,000 to 150,000, most succumbing to smoke inhalation, according to a news release from Invisible Fence. In most states, many emergency responders are unequipped to deal with such emergencies, it stated.
“The donation of these specially designed, and potentially lifesaving, animal oxygen mask sets enable Rescue Squads to efficiently administer oxygen to a stricken animal,” O’Brien said. “Our company has a commitment to pet safety that extends beyond electronic pet containment by funding deserving projects that help to save the lives of pets.”
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The donation was part of a national effort called Project Breathe, which Lake Hills EMS director Alex Belligio found online. The goal of this project is to equip fire stations across the U.S. and Canada with the kits, which include three masks — small, medium and large.
“We had been talking about pet rescue and I did some research online,” Belligio said. “I came across Project Breathe, and decided to send my application for the mask kit. I knew this would be valuable for our department.”
An upcoming animal CPR class had already been scheduled with Booth for Belligio’s station, so a demonstration on the use of the animal mask fit right in and was included in the evening’s hands-on CPR session.
O’Brien added that the gift to the Lake Hills Fire Department was the first one of its kind that his company has donated in Northwest Indiana — “but I want to let other fire departments know it is available.”
Sue Ellen Ross is a freelance reporter.