As part of the Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team's ongoing commitment to emergency preparedness, several volunteers from CDART's Central Okanagan chapter presented pet oxygen mask kits to the Lake Country Fire Department on January 31st, 2014.
The Central Okanagan chapter of CDART purchased a number of the pet oxygen mask kits in 2013 as a result of various fundraising efforts and has been presenting them to fire departments throughout the Okanagan over the past year.
"The oxygen masks will re an asset to the community, ensuring fire trucks are even better equipped to assist in the rescue of family pets and animals in the event of a fire or emergency," stated a press release from CDART.
The Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team, and is made up entirely of volunteers and its mission is to provide emergency services for domestic animals in the event of a disaster, to train volunteers in order that they can provide emergency shelter and rescue for domestic animals when responding during a disaster, and to raise funds for supplies, medical treatment for animals, training costs and expenses incurred by volunteers during a disaster.
Volunteers are mobilized when local authorities request CDART's help and when the Provincial Emergency Program's Emergency Support Services (www.ess.bc.ca) is activated. In specific communities, CDART has longtime established teams but will answer requests for help through local, provincial and federal government agencies.
CDART is the emergency animal rescue division of Critteraid, a registered not-for-profit society registered as The Summerland Cat Sanctuary based in Summerland, BC, Canada, and one of the oldest animal charities in the province. You can learn about Critteraid at www.critteraid.org. Learn more about CDART at their web site www.cdart.org.