First Responders with all four Chili Fire Departments are now some of the best-equipped in the nation to save a pet’s life. That’s because Invisible Fence of Upstate New York has donated four pet oxygen mask kits to these departments on Monday evening, May 22, at 3310 Union Street in North Chili, Fire Department #2.
This donation is just a small 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. 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. A reported 170 plus pets have been saved by the donated masks so far.
“When a family suffers the tragedy of a fire, lives are turned upside down,” said Tony Hettinger, President of Invisible Fence of Upstate New York. “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,” said Hettinger. “Project Breathe™ program is simply a way of giving firefighters the tools necessary to save pets’ lives.”
Chili and surrounding areas have joined 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 web sites 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 and 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.
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