Life-saving gear for pets donated to Colwood FD

From budgies to bulldogs, Colwood Fire Department has pets covered.

Thanks to a donation from former department member Marcel Krywy Colwood has purchased three animal oxygen masks. The plastic cones attach to oxygen tanks in the same way human-designed masks too, and can be adapted to almost any pet.

“If it can help, we'll have it,” said firefighter Bryan Erwin. “We know it works for humans that have breathed in smoke.”

Firefighters are now trained to use the masks, including tricks for calming down panicked animals, Erwin said. In some cases just being able to get the oxygen flow near the animal can make a difference.

Often an animal will object to having the mask placed on their face because they don't like confinement, said Chris Collis, a vet with Eagle Rise Veterinary Clinic. In those cases the mask can be adapted to fit more loosely around the snout. For small pets, such as birds, it is even possible to put the animal under the mask on a table, creating an oxygen tent for them.

Helping the pet on scene can be a relief to the owner, but it goes a long way to ensuring animals recover as well. An animal that has received oxygen is more likely to be calm once at the vet, Collis said.

That makes it easy to do additional treatment in a timely fashion. Without that initial help, “they are at greater risk of complications,” he said.

It has been at least four years since Colwood fire has responded to a structure fire that affected an animal, Erwin said. That being said though, when they do respond to buildings, firefighters can't help but notice signs clearly displayed asking emergency services to save pets as well.

The department would have invested in the equipment eventually, but Krywy's donation really brought the need to their attention, Erwin said.

“(Krywy) knows the importance of the equipment to an animal in need, the value and love that many families place on their pets,” he said.

reporter@goldstreamgazette.com