All Gwinnett fire vehicles will carry animal oxygen masks thanks to generosity of Gwinnett couple

(Lawrenceville, Ga., November 27, 2017) – A labor of love for animals is the driving force behind a generous donation made by a Peachtree Corners couple.  The husband and wife duo recently donated 42 pet oxygen masks to the Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

“The donation was enough to place a mask set on each of the department’s 31 Engines and 11 Ladder Trucks,” said Gwinnett Fire Engineer Justin Wilson, Alternate PIO.  The donated sets cost about $64.29 each and include three-individual masks in each set, specifically designed for large and medium dogs and small for felines and puppies.

The couple, Davis and Jennifer Robinson, learned about the need for pet oxygen masks from a story about a single-set donation that was made a while back. The couple didn’t hesitate and said we have to do something to make sure every fire truck has these life-saving devices for animals.

Firefighters often encounter pets who are still inside a burning home, and many would benefit from the administration of medical oxygen due to exposure to smoke and toxic gases.  The animal oxygen masks are reusable and only need to be properly cleaned and decontaminated before being stored back on the apparatus.  The donated mask sets are labeled in a red storage bag, which makes them easy to identify and deploy when needed.

Jennifer said that it took about a month to save enough to outfit all the fire trucks.  According to Davis, they began talking with Battalion Chief Brian Wolfe of the Business Services Division at Fire Headquarters to determine how many sets would be needed and to see what types of masks were already being carried on some of the trucks.  The Robinson’s are no strangers to animals in need.  They are pet-parents to two Lab Mix rescues and wouldn’t have it any other way.

The masks were presented to Chief Wolfe and the crew at Gwinnett County Fire Station 4 on Spalding Drive in Peachtree Corners on the day before Thanksgiving.  The mask sets will be distributed to all the fire stations within the county.  “We just can’t say enough about the generosity of the Robinson’s, to place the needs of our department and our community’s furriest friends before their own.  They are truly a special couple,” said Wolfe.