Firefighters have post-fire care for animals licked

Pets living in Honiton now have a better chance of surviving household fires – thanks to new oxygen masks for animals being carried on the town’s fire engines.

The funding for the set of specially-designed masks to Honiton has been provided by Honiton's Fortescue Lodge.

Honiton's Fortescue Lodge donated the money for a set of masks to Smokey Paws, the not-for-profit organisation trying to help family pets in the event of a fire. Honiton is the first fire station in Devon to receive the life-saving devices.

Watch Manager Wayne Broom said: “As a dog owner myself, I appreciate how important pets can be to some families and individuals. If this goes just that bit further to help improve the chances of survival for a pet, then it’s worth every effort.

“Many pet owners live alone and rely on their company for support, so this is just as important to their welfare as well as the pet in a stressful fire situation.”

Lynn from Smokey Paws said: “It is with the support and donations from the public and organisations that allow us to give these life-saving oxygen masks to the fire service. Everyday firefighters risk their life to save us and our pets, the least we can do is to give them the right equipment to aid their efforts. We urge everyone to help us and donate what they can as the next pet we asked the firefighters to save could be yours.”  

Smokey Paws’ mission is to raise enough money through public donations, to equip every first responder in the UK with these lifesaving masks. For more information about Smokey Paws go to its website www.smokeypaws.co.uk