Incident # 21-01685 - City of Walterboro Firefighters responded to a working structure fire at 518 Klein St in the City Wednesday morning 10-March at 11:50. Arriving units found heavy smoke conditions coming from the rear of a single story residential structure. City Firefighters made an interior attack on the fire saving the home and rescued two canines about ten minutes apart. The second dog was limp and semi-conscious when it was brought outside, having been in the smoke filled home longer than the first. County Firefighter-Paramedics who were standing by for the fire with Fire-Rescue Medic 1, went to work on the animals using equipment in their Fido Bag. Each Fido Bag contains specially designed oxygen administration equipment. A Fido Bag is carried on every Ambulance/Medic Unit in the Fire-Rescue fleet. County Firefighter-Paramedics worked on the first canine for about ten minutes, until the second more serious pup was rescued. They worked on the second dog for about thirty minutes until the dog was breathing better and able to stand on his own. Both canines survived the ordeal.
Fire-Rescue has carried equipment to care for some animals for over 15 years, when the late Tommy Godwin donated equipment to Fire-Rescue for that purpose. The department upgraded the equipment last year with the Fido Bags from the Fetch Foundation. The Foundation donated three bags to Fire-Rescue following a motorhome fire on Interstate 95 where several show dogs perished. The Fire-Rescue Department then added Fido Bags to all of the County's Ambulances to improve their ability to assist injured animals. Each bag is equipped with appropriate sized oxygen masks to fit a variety of sized animals, along with other items to care for them. For additional information on the Fetch Foundation see www.thefetchfoundation.com.
