Comox Fire Rescue recently hosted a firefighter “pet first-aid” training session.
This was provided free of charge by a great team from Van Isle Veterinary Hospital. About 50 firefighters attended from several different fire departments in the region.
The training was very informative and so well received by the firefighters, there is already discussion about having another session for firefighters that could not attend this session.
“Over the years we have rescued many pets and learning more about how to care for them during an emergency makes a lot of sense,” said Comox Fire Chief Gord Schreiner. “As always, I am proud of our firefighters for their dedication, their attendance to this training and their work in our community.”
The training included discussions on pet CPR, oxygen treatment, wound treatment, hyperthermia, hypothermia, choking and specialized equipment that can be used.
Comox Fire Rescue has carried pet oxygen masks on their fire engines for years and uses them a couple times per year for treatment of pets.