Life-saving, dramatic rescues are what firefighters train for, and Bedford’s fire department was prepared for the task Tuesday.
But they weren’t racing to save the life of a person. Bedford’s fire department is equipped to help victims whether they have two legs or four.
Anyone who visited Kwik Kar Lube in Bedford, Texas knew about the owner’s dog, Jake.
“If I was cashing someone out, he wanted to see who I was talking to,” said Jake’s owner Vernon Dede. “And he wanted to greet people and get petted.”
Dede’s business caught fire Tuesday. Jake was trapped in an upstairs office area in thick, choking smoke. Firefighters rushed in.
“Firefighters eventually went up there and found the dog on the second floor,” said Bedford Fire Chief James Tindell. “He was conscious, not very alert and barely breathing. That’s when they started the treatment.”
Fire fighters carried Jake to a grassy area away from the fire and began working him right away.
The treatment involved special oxygen masks for animals.
“Basically, you can tell, with the rubber here to create a seal around their face, its a way for us to give them supplemental oxygen,” said Fire Fighter Ryan Hancock as he showed a conical shaped, clear mask with a hose leading to an oxygen tank and a large rubber disc over the open end which would slip over animals’ snouts. The masks come in various sizes for small or large animals.
Bedford and other north Texas fire departments are receiving the animal oxygen masks, mostly as donations from animal groups. For Jake, it was a lifesaver.
“I was like, ‘Oh my God! He’s alive!” Dede said. “That is awesome!”
“If its suffered smoke inhalation or respiratory distress then it’s definitely a good tool to have in the toolbox,” Hancock said.
“I didn’t even know they did that stuff,” Dede said. “I was so thankful and surprised!”
Thursday, Jake was in an Intensive Care Unit in an animal hospital. Deedee said Jake’s condition was considered to be day-by-day but he was confident his dog would fight to recover.
~ Courtesy of CBS Dallas / Fort Worth
Tags: dog oxygen mask, firefighters, firefighters save dog
