SILVER LAKE – Invisible Fence of Fort Wayne has donated one pet oxygen mask kit to the Silver Lake Fire Department.
This donation is a part of Invisible Fence® Brand’s Project Breathe™ program, which was established with the goal of equipping every fire station in America and Canada with pet oxygen masks, according to a news release. These masks allow firefighters and EMS staff to give oxygen to pets who are suffering from smoke inhalation when they are rescued from fires and often save pets’ lives.
Invisible Fence® Brand has donated a total of more than 18,200 pet oxygen masks to fire stations all over the U.S. and Canada throughout the life of the program. Over 170 pets have reportedly been saved by the donated masks so far, one family dog most recently in Baltimore by the Baltimore County Fire Department, the release states.
“When a family suffers the tragedy of a fire, lives are turned upside down,” said Ed Hoyt, director of Invisible Fence® Brand. “Pets are valued family members, so we want families to know that their pet can be cared for if tragedy strikes.
“We realize that humans are the first priority, but in many cases, pets can be saved if firefighters have the right equipment. Project Breathe™ program is simply a way of giving firefighters the tools necessary to save pets’ lives,”?he said.
Silver Lake and surrounding areas are now joining the ranks of cities like Seattle, Chicago, Denver, and Salt Lake City who have all received donated pet oxygen masks from Project Breathe™ program.
Although the number of pets that die in fires is not an official statistic kept by the U.S. Fire Administration, industry websites and sources have cited an estimated 40,000 to 150,000 pets die in fires each year, most succumbing to smoke inhalation. In most states, emergency responders are unequipped to deal with the crisis. The loss is terrible for the family, heart wrenching for firefighters.
The company has set up a website, www.invisiblefence.com/O2, where local fire personnel can make a request for their own departments.
