Pet Masks Help Massachusetts Firefighters

I love this story!  What a wonderful donation this would be to a community firestation, especially when the cost is a minimal $50.  By the way, the first sentence seems to be missing from the story, but that’s how it was in the original.

Pet Masks Help Massachusetts Firefighters

ANNA L. GRIFFIN
TELEGRAM & GAZETTE (Massachusetts)

The city can be added to a growing list of communities that have received specialized oxygen masks to be used in the rescue of cats and dogs.

“We’re trying to reach out to every community within Worcester County,” said Kathy Haskell, president of the Worcester County NEADS Lions Club, during a recent presentation at the Central Fire Station where two masks were donated to the Leominster Fire Department, a larger-sized one for big dogs and a smaller one that will be able to fit cats and smaller dogs.

“One of the ways we’re raising awareness is to work on this service project,” Mrs. Haskell said. “This is a very worthwhile endeavor. These masks are specifically designed to fit over the muzzles of dogs and cats, so if they are rescued from a fire and in need of oxygen, the firefighters will have the appropriate equipment to use - rather than try and use a mask for a person on the animal.”

NEADS (National Education for Assistance Dog Services) Dogs For Deaf and Disabled Americans, is a national nonprofit organization that trains dogs to assist people who have disabilities. Based in Princeton, the organization was started 30 years ago with seed monies provided by the Medfield Lions Club.  Now, 30 years later, the organization has its own Lions Club. Worcester County NEADS Lions Club is the newest Lions Club in Massachusetts. It is dedicated to spreading the word about the work that NEADS is doing.

A set of the masks costs $50. “We rely on donations and other methods of fundraising in order to purchase these masks,” Mrs. Haskell said.

Mona Blanchard, a member of the Worcester County NEADS Lions Club, made the $50 donation so the masks could be given to the Leominster Fire Department. “I would hate to see an animal die because the firefighters didn’t have the right equipment,” she said.  Masks have been donated to fire departments in Princeton, Sterling, Westminster, Southbridge, Auburn, West Boylston, Fitchburg and Northbridge.  “We would like to equip every community in the county with these,” Mrs. Haskell said.

Those who would like to learn more about the project, or Worcester County NEADS Lions Club, can call Mrs. Haskell at (978) 537-0071 or Sheila O’Brien, executive director of NEADS, at (978) 422-9064, ext. 11.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 11/29 at 02:12 AM

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  1. Huh. That is a wonderful thing...I think the idea would be met with bellows of derisive laughter where I live since the city can barely afford fire trucks and people to man (or woman) them! Heck I’d pay for a set if they’d use them, it’s not much.
    Read your Bose headphones post. I know true audiophiles sneer at Bose but I have the Wave 2 and it’s fabulous, more than enough sound to fill my small house. If they made car stereos I’d get one.
    Home Despot is probably an excellent place to buy good ear protection, mind you!

    Posted by Carina  on  11/29  at  06:02 PM

  2. Yeah, I kind of thought the same thing about negative public reaction.  If this was suggested here, someone would immediately pipe up that the money should be spent on something for children, or something for humans, period.  At just $50 for a pair of masks, I don’t know why it has to be either/or. 

    If I can figure out who manufactures and sells the masks, I’ll post a link.

    Posted by Leigh-Ann  on  11/30  at  12:01 AM

  3. I think these are the masks most-commonly donated:

    http://www.surgivet.com/catalog/catalog18.html

    They’re also manufactured by this company:

    http://www.matrixmedical.com

    Posted by Leigh-Ann  on  11/30  at  12:15 AM
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