Tofino’s first responders are committed to keeping all members of their community safe.
The Tofino Volunteer Fire Department recently received three pet oxygen mask kits that each contain three oxygen masks designed for animals of various sizes.
The kits were donated by the HappyDogs Legacy campaign, which raised over $40,000 to purchase 328 kits at a cost of $138 each and is still raising funds in an effort to equip all B.C. Fire crews with pet oxygen masks.
“This legacy campaign has been working tirelessly to raise funds with a goal to have pet oxygen masks on every fire truck in BC,” campaign member Peggy Freeman told the Westerly in an email.
Tofino’s fire chief Brent Baker said he was delighted to receive the new lifesaving tools.
“It sounded like a fantastic program. I heard about it the first week I started on the job and I said we’d love to take part in it and here we are a few months later and they’ve just arrived,” Baker told the Westerly News. “Hopefully they never have to be used, but we will if we need to.”
He said the masks are similar to the ones his crew is trained to use for humans and could prove vital in an emergency situation.
“You never know when you might need it...Pets are part of the family and part of the community, so it’s pretty important stuff and I’m excited that we’ve got them,” Baker said.
“Emergency services are trying to think about all aspects of the community and pets are extremely important to people. People want to make sure that their family members, whether four-legged or two, are all going to be looked after. It’s just a small thing, but it’s something extra that we might be able to do to provide a service to somebody in our community.”
For more information about the HappyDogs Legacy, or to donate to the campaign, visit www.happydogslegacy.com.