The Farmington Fire Department received a donation of specially designed pet oxygen masks to make it easier to save the lives of family pets.
All five of the town's fire stations will be getting one of these kits, which were donated by the at-home pet service provider Canine Company.
Canine Company's mission is to get the pet oxygen masks to first responders in the areas where their clients live. Last year, the company donated more than 170 masks across New Jersey, New York, and New England states.
“Our company was founded by a family of pet lovers and our mission is to help other families keep their pets healthy, safe and happy. Our goal is to get these into the hands of first responders wherever our clients live so they are ready to handle an emergency involving family pets,” Renee Coughlin, of Canine Company, said in a statement.
An estimated 40,000 pets die from smoke inhalation across the United States each year. Pets are at a special risk during a fire because they're unable to get out without help.
The oxygen masks are cone-shaped and designed for a pet's snout. Each set includes masks in three sizes to fit the smallest of pets to the biggest.
"Pets are part of our everyday lives and part of our families. They provide companionship and are a fixture in homes across the country," Steve Hoffmann, the director of fire and rescue services, said in a statement. "One of the fire department's main strategic objectives is to save lives. These masks will allow us the ability to provide oxygen to pets as a result of a fire emergency or any other emergency where administration of oxygen would be beneficial to saving their lives."
