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BREATH of FRESH AIR
Fire departments in Vienna, Howland and Canfield also have the pet masks.
By Denise Dick
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KEEPING PETS SAFE: Demonstrating the new oxygen mask for pets donated by Invisible Fence are, from left, Cole Smith, 10; Paige Smith, 8; Buddy, the cockpoo who is being held by his owner and their grandmother, Janet Smith of New Middletown; and Bill Opsitnik, New Middletown fire chief.
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RANGE OF SIZES: Larry Culler, assistant chief of the New Middletown Fire Department, shows the three sizes of pet oxygen masks to accommodate different pets. The masks fit over an animal’s muzzle and tubing directs air from an oxygen tank to the animal.
NEW MIDDLETOWN — The village fire department has equipment to help save the lives of four-legged family members as well as the two-legged variety.
Invisible Fence, based in Austintown, donated a pet oxygen-mask kit to the department.
The kit includes three sizes of masks — large for bigger dogs, medium for smaller dogs and small for cats — and plastic tubing that attaches to an oxygen tank.
“We hope we’ll never have to use it,” said fire Chief Bill Opsitnik.
But if the need arises, the proper equipment is in-hand to allow firefighters to provide oxygen to pets that were in a fire, he said.
“We want to be prepared,” said police Chief Vincent D’Egidio. “The family pet is an extension of the family and viewed as an extension.”
Janet Smith, village clerk of courts, brought her cockapoo, Buddy, to the fire department to demonstrate how the masks work.
The shy Buddy was patient at first while Opsitnik held the plastic cylinder over his snout.
Eventually, he pawed it away to get a treat.
Bill Bucci, pet consultant at Invisible Fence, said fire departments in Vienna and Howland and the Cardinal Joint Fire District in Canfield also have the kits, which were donated by the company.
Timothy Thomas, Howland’s assistant fire chief, said his department hasn’t used the pet masks, but they’re beneficial to have if the need occurs.
Before receiving the donation, if a pet needed oxygen, firefighters used masks for children or adults, depending on the animal’s size.
Sometimes that worked well if the animal was the right size and the firefighter could get a seal on the mask. Other times it wasn’t as efficient.
“It’s better to have the right equipment for the job every time,” Thomas said.
The kits are available to fire departments in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties that request them.
“Usually, fire-rescue squads have to use the masks they use for humans for pets,” Bucci said.
As Thomas said, those sometimes don’t fit properly and don’t work as efficiently.
The pet consultant said the masks also could be used for smaller farm animals.
“It’s about the rescue and safety of animals — that’s what we’re all about,” Bucci said.
denise_dick@vindy.com