Without any reports of people or pets being in the home, firefighters went about putting out a kitchen fire, caused by a stove that was left on, said Skaneateles firefighter Mark Stebbins, who also works for SAVES.
But, the first crew to enter the house and do a primary sweep of the interior found Lyla, a 14-year-old yellow lab suffering from smoke inhalation.
Lyla, owned by the Battisto family, was pulled from the home and laid on the porch where emergency personnel began treating her.
SAVES Operations Director Jeff VanBeveren said the lab had just about succumbed and was taking just a couple breaths or so per minute. Her yellow coat was heavy with black smoke and soot.
It wasn’t until someone started yelling to get a mask from the truck that is specially made for canine resuscitation that paramedics realized they would be able to help Lyla.
“A SAVES paramedic, Jeff VanBeveren, and firefighter Tammy Dudden started to treat the dog,” he said. “I was confident we could help the dog.”
Stebbins said he went to the fire apparatus to get the equipment, which works just like a resuscitation mask for humans only has a longer mask.
VanBeveren said the mask is designed to fit right over the animal’s muzzle and when they used it on Lyla, he and Dudden spent about five minutes trying to get the animal breathing properly before she really responded to the treatment.
“She started sticking her tongue out and licking the mask,” VanBeveren said smiling.
Lyla was transported by pickup truck to Clear Lakes Animal Wellness in Skaneateles where she was treated and released.
“The mask is used to deliver oxygen to animals and was designed to be used by vets,” Stebbins said. “There are three sizes and for different weight pets and are longer or deeper that normal equipment to fit the animals face.”
The equipment isn’t standard at all fire departments, though. The Skaneateles Fire Department received one set last year through a donation from Invisible Fence in Syracuse. This was the first time the device needed to be used and, according to Stebbins, it worked very well.
While SAVES is dispatched to all structure fires to act as support for the fire departments responding to the call and for the homeowners, the department now can proudly say they are able to offer support for animals along with the fire department.
Stebbins said departments that would like to begin carrying the canine resuscitation masks on their apparatus should contact Invisible Fence, where they can be obtained for free. Many departments are finding them useful to have on hand, he added.
“I am very happy that SAVES and the fire department participated in helping Lyla, and I am happy anytime that I can use my knowledge to help anyone or a family pet,” Stebbins said.
Firefighters from Skaneateles, Mottville, Marcellus, Sennett and Owasco and SAVES responded to the blaze. Engines from Amber and Fairmount covered at Skaneateles station one in case of another emergency call while Skaneateles was responding to the call at Onondaga Street.
VanBeveren said the resuscitation effort was a “great collaboration” between SAVES and the fire department.
