IRMO, S.C. — Invisible Fence of Greater Columbia donated three sets of pet oxygen masks to the Irmo Fire District.
According to Invisible Fence, over 40,000 pets die in fires each year. This is why they decided to create their Project Breathe Program to help save pets lives.
“We started a program called Project Breathe which the goal is to get rescue equipment to each fire department across the country so they have the equipment necessary to resuscitate pets if they should need it," Jonathan Brainard with Invisible Fence told Street Squad, "Inside each kit are three masks, small, medium and large to fit different size pets. The firefighters are trained how to use them and other first responders and they’re there, available, ready to go if needed.”
Since Project Breathe began in 2006, almost 30,000 masks have been donated to help save these members of our families.
“We’ve actually pulled animals out of fires before and tried to resuscitate them using the tools we would use on humans," Irmo Fire District's Assistant Fire Chief Sloane Valentino shared, "we’ve had success in the past and we’ve also had failures. I think this would close the gap on what we’re doing because its very difficult to resuscitate an animal with the larger devices that fit on human heads.”
Fire stations can request pet oxygen masks kits by visiting the Project Breathe website.
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