TEXAS – Williamson County paramedics have been captured in a very touching moment reviving kittens who were trapped in a house fire. The special mask they used is currently in all of their EMS vehicles guaranteeing family pets have a better chance at survival.
On this past Tuesday morning, heavy smoke billowed from the second floor of a Round Rock home. The family watched from outside as firefighters searched for their four animals.
Paramedic Danielle Savak had been standing by to help, “They found a couple of dogs inside the house early on as soon as they got into the house. They brought them out. They looked fine. They were alert and drinking water when we gave it to them so they were okay. It took a lot longer to find the kittens because they were tiny and hiding.”
When the firefighters brought out the family’s two kittens Savak just knew they were not doing well.
“They were both pretty lethargic. Just kind of groggy, Not moving very much. Firefighters with a big gloves and bunker gear set of scared them to death, but they didn’t find that at all. I think the best measure of how poorly they felt is they let us put the mask on their face,” stated Savak.
Savak and her co-worker were photographed as they both administered oxygen.
“They were tiny,” she stated. “Very small.”
The mask she used had recently been donated by the Travis County Kennel Club. Each EMS vehicle is equipped with a set of three– feline, small k-9, and large k-9.
Prior to receiving the new set, paramedics would have to use small human masks.
“Usually they have carbon monoxide poisoning and you need to flood their body with oxygen to knock the carbon monoxide off of the hemoglobin and get them re-oxygenated. You need a lot of oxygen to do that and it’s hard to do with the human mask. The oxygen is coming out all around their face. With these masks it’s concentrated right to where they need it,” explained Savak.
For the animal lover, the moment was simply as precious as it appeared. Savak is thankful Williamson County pets will be given a better chance of survival.
“My pets are my kids and that would be hugely important to me. It’s not a trivial thing this donation that we got and the ability to help these pets. They’re part of your family. They matter. I don’t see it as a silly thing that we did. Serving the people in their family members that could’ve been seriously hurt,” stated Savak.
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