TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Tinker Air Force Base pets and wildlife suffering from exposure to fire, smoke and other life-threatening hazards now have a better chance of surviving.
Air for Paws, a California nonprofit, recently donated five specialized emergency oxygen kits with facemasks specifically designed to fit furry snouts and tiny noses.
The new equipment is thanks to the efforts Tinker Fire and Emergency Services Lt. Chris Cooney. He watched a report on KWTV Channel 9 last year that showed how neighboring Midwest City firefighters rescued a cat by providing oxygen to it.
Fighting a house fire, firefighters had discovered a limp cat gasping for air only about every 20 seconds. The responders applied chest compressions and a mask designed for people. Lucky the cat was soon meowing and vibrant again, the station reported.
The Midwest City department later learned about Air for Paws’ mission and received animal-specialized oxygen kits from it. Lieutenant Cooney thought it was an idea worth looking into for Tinker.
He researched the options and presented them to Tinker chiefs. They gave him the go-ahead to bring the technology to Tinker.
Four engines and one ladder truck now carry the kits, along with other medical equipment.
The equipment allows firefighters to adjust oxygen levels for simple breathing or by gently forcing it into lungs, depending on an animal’s condition. The capability only requires training of about 10 minutes because it’s similar to oxygen equipment used on people.
The kit includes two masks - one for small animals and another more adapted for snouts. A firefighter can even put a whole mouse inside a mask, if necessary.
“We still do chest compressions and provide oxygen, except they’ve got fur and they’re smaller,” Lieutenant Cooney said.
The department responds to wildfires on- and off-base in which wildlife may need medical attention. An estimated 40,000 pets a year in the nation die from smoke inhalation, the station reported.
Most staff firefighters think the new tools are “pretty cool,” the lieutenant said.
“Hopefully we’ll never need it, but it’s great that we have it,” he said