Lifesaving pet oxygen masks to be carried on all Essex fire engines

All fire engines in Essex will now carry Smokey Paws pet-friendly oxygen masks. The oxygen masks, bought from a non-profit organisation called Smokey Paws, are specifically designed to provide essential care to pets at the scene of a house fire.

The masks are made in a variety of sizes to fit all animals that people commonly keep in the UK. Unlike the human masks, the animal masks have a conical shape to fit over the snout.

In a video demonstrating the equipment, Paul Jones, Operational Group Trainer said small animals are far more susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning than human beings. These new animal masks not only fit better but give 85-90% oxygen compared to human masks which would only give the animal about 10-15% of the oxygen.

“Firefighters attend a wide range of incidents and providing oxygen to animals through a makeshift system is nothing new. However, the introduction of the Smokey Paws equipment allows us to upskill crews to provide evidence-based trauma care and give a better service to our communities.

“Having these masks on every fire engine in Essex will make a big difference. We’d like to thank the British Animal Rescue Trauma Care Association for supplying us with the training.”

Paul Jones, Operational Group Trainer.

In a video showcasing the equipment, Paul said that the rescue of the animal is paramount and stressed the importance of not putting the animal through any form of distress.

To read similar articles, check out our Frontline channel.