Green Country fire departments use oxygen masks to save pets’ lives during house fires

A family in Broken Arrow are trying to piece their lives back together, after a devastating fire broke out in their home last Friday. Thankfully, firefighters — who are all trained EMTs — sent in a search team that rescued the family’s two dogs and four cats.

The family told FOX23 that one of their dogs came close to dying, but a specially fitted oxygen mask is credited with helping to save the animal’s life.

Brittany Oduola said while she and her husband lost everything in the fire, she’ll forever be grateful that her six-month-old German Shepherd, Harley Quinn, is still alive.

“My neighbor called me back and told me that my dog was lifeless, that they was working on my dog,” said Oduola, “I was like please, just don’t let my animals die.”

Everyone one of Broken Arrow’s Fire Department ambulances are equipped with kits that contain oxygen masks for pets. Each ambulance has three different masks to fit the needs for different sized pets. Fire fighters worked on Harley Quinn and administered oxygen with the specific mask.

She was transported to the Good Shepherd Veterinary Hospital in Broken Arrow. Dr. Kevin Long says the fire department’s ability to administer oxygen on the scene saved the dog’s life.

“The critical part of her recovery was receiving oxygen at that moment, you have to start reversing the toxic effects of the smoke inhalation immediately to have that good outcome,” said Dr. Long.

The kits only run about $100 dollars apiece. Dr. Long says every fire department in the state of Oklahoma should have them.

“It would be neat if we could get the local communities to see the value of it, so that they could help do that,” Long said.

For Brittany Oduola, who returned to see her home destroyed just days before Christmas, the value of saving the life of her beloved Harley Quinn, is immeasurable.

“One of the fire fighters told me this, he said every soul counts, it doesn’t matter, he said every life matters, dog, cat, doesn’t matter,” she said.

For anyone interested in helping the family after they lost their home, you can donate to their GoFundMe here.

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