Oxygen Masks to rescue Pets Will be Available to Fire Departments Soon

STAMFORD - Four volunteer fire departments will get oxygen masks designed for animals.

Tony Olive, a captain at Turn of River Fire Department and a fire marshal with Long Ridge Fire Company, has received six kits containing the conical masks designed for snouts instead of faces. Olive plans to distribute masks to Springdale Fire Company and Belltown Fire Department as well.

Long Ridge and Turn of River each will receive two kits because each has two firehouses. The other two departments will get one kit each.

Without masks, firefighters must improvise, usually with masks for humans, to help an animal suffering from smoke inhalation. The Invisible Fence pet mask donation program gave 11 kits, each containing three sizes, to Stamford Fire & Rescue in March.

The city's fifth volunteer company, Glenbrook Fire Department, already received masks from Stamford Fire & Rescue.

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