Firefighters Revive Cats from House Fire

Several cats were saved from a fire in the basement of a house in Pacific, MO, this afternoon by firefighters from the Eureka Fire Protection District and Pacific Fire Protection District, as well as paramedics from Meramec Ambulance District. They preformed resuscitation efforts on four cats saved from the home.

Emergency responders used pet resuscitation equipment that had been donated to the Eureka Fire Protection District last fall. Eureka residents Phil and Karen Kerker purchased and donated the oxygen masks to carry on fire trucks at the district's three fire stations.

Deputy Chief Randy Gabel, Eureka Fire Protection District, said two of the cats that were not breathing eventually were revived at the scene with the equipment. One cat expired at the scene, and the other cat was OK when taken from the home, he said.

Gabel said no one was injured, and that the fire was put out by firefighters. "The resident was home, and got out safely. The home did have some smoke damage, which will have to be cleaned," he said.

The provides emergency management services, fire prevention and response, and rescue services to an urban and rural community comprising of 82 square miles, the largest in St. Louis County.