Wilco EMS saves 2 dogs in house fire with pet oxygen masks

HUTTO, Texas - Williamson County EMS was able to save the lives of two dogs following a house fire in Hutto Friday afternoon. The dogs were found unconscious inside the burning home. 

Crews used what’s called pet oxygen masks on the dogs. "I think there was a good chance without those masks that these dogs would not have survived," said Commander Bryan Wiseman with Wilco EMS.

When Wiseman responded to the fire over the weekend, they discovered the home had two dogs trapped inside. "Hutto Fire was able to locate the first dog, bring it out and it wasn’t breathing. I grabbed the pet mask and we started resuscitating the first dog." 

While saving the first dog, crews inside the home came across the other which was also unconscious. "Brought her out and we started all over again."

Wiseman said they were able to save both these dogs thanks to the pet oxygen masks. The way the device works is when EMS shows up to a fire and find a pet unconscious they place the device right over the pet's snout. 

They are then able to pump oxygen through it until the pet wakes up. 

They have different sizes depending on how big or small the animal is. "If you don’t have these masks we don’t have a great way to provide oxygen to these dogs. With these masks we are able to focus that oxygen right on their muzzle or their nose and get that fresh air into them," said Wiseman.

When it comes to fires, Weissman said it can be common for pets to get trapped in the building. "They don’t really know what’s going on so they can’t get out, so dogs will get lost and try to hide. I think that’s what happened with these dogs in this house, no one was home at the time of the fire."

Wilco EMS was able to get this equipment donated from the Travis County kennel club. They have them in 2 units.

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