Not GIS related - but cool.... Oxygen masks for dogs, cats donated to San Diego Fire Department: "Oxygen masks for dogs, cats donated to San Diego Fire Department October 3, 2006 SAN DIEGO – Pets are ten times more likely to die in a fire than people and they are just as likely to suffer smoke inhalation, but now San Diego firefighters have devices designed to save the lives of four-legged victims. Best Friends Pet Care, a national chain of boarding kennels, on Tuesday donated 20 sets of oxygen masks for animals to the San Diego Fire Department. Each cone-shaped resuscitation mask fits tightly over a pet's snout and attaches to a tube that connects to an oxygen tank. They come in three sizes, one for large dogs, one for small dogs and one for cats. Dawn Garcia, a manager at a local Best Friends facility, said that last year some 40,000 pets died in fires at homes across the nation. She animals are at a greater risk for smoke inhalation because they often don't find their way out. “They don't know what to do, they run and hide,” Garcia said. Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Carle said regular oxygen masks are ineffective for pets because they do not fit properly over an animals' face. He said firefighters recently pulled six cats out of a burning apartment and two were suffering after inhaling smoke. They were able to save the felines by using the equipment on hand, but Carle said the new masks would have worked much better. Best Friends launched the Cause for Paws Campaign nationally in 2004 and has since donated 2,250 sets of masks to fire departments in 20 states. “We learned our rescue teams in our own back yard didn't have these masks and we wanted to help,” Garcia said. Today's donation will provide the gear for go to less than half of the city's 46 fire stations. Garcia said Best Friends' goal is to equip all of them."