Donation of Pet Oxygen Masks to Fire Services
By Jane Welch-Maiolo
On September 22, during joint fire training exercises at the Maumee fire training facility, the Perrysburg Fire Division and Perrysburg Township Fire and EMS received a generous donation from Invisible Fence of Northwest Ohio. Chris Jezek, the manager, along with branch manager Bob Elliot, presented the fire services with a total of eleven oxygen mask kits—eight for the city division and three for the township.
Township Fire Chief Tom Brice expressed gratitude for the donation. He noted that the department had previously received similar masks over ten years ago, which had unfortunately deteriorated due to the material used. “We used it for dogs, cats, lizards, and even birds,” he mentioned, emphasizing their effectiveness.
Each kit includes masks in small, medium, and large sizes, catering to various animal types. Perrysburg Fire Chief Bill McCullough explained that this donation is part of Invisible Fence’s Project Breathe, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The initiative aims to extend pet safety beyond property boundaries.
The program has successfully donated over 27,000 masks to first responders across the nation, assisting in saving numerous pets from smoke inhalation during home fires. Jezek pointed out the alarming statistic that 40,000 pets die annually in house fires, with about 500,000 more impacted by smoke inhalation. The masks enable first responders to effectively deliver oxygen to pets rescued from hazardous situations.
Chris Jezek, manager of Invisible of Northwest Ohio holds Leia, 3, who is being trained to demonstrate how the oxygen masks work.
