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Donation spreads through five communities

(left to right) Fire Chief P. Robert Wallace, Captain Dick Brady, James Russell, Jared D. Conlin and Bob Russell. Dogs - (left) Firebelle and Phoenix.Reminder Publications photo by Natasha Clark
By Natasha Clark

Assistant Managing Editor



On Aug. 9 James and Bob Russell weaved their way through East Longmeadow and Wilbraham, stopping at both towns' fire departments to make donations of animal oxygen masks.

James was inspired to make the contributions after reading an article in The Republican about a similar donation that was made to the Agawam Fire Department. So James said he called the local fire departments and asked if they would like to have some.

"Subsequently, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Palmer and West Springfield did not have any masks and would love to have them," he told Reminder Publications.

James' son, Bob, who is also an animal lover, agreed to help his father with the donations.

"We've always supported safety," Bob said. "It translates into everything we do," he said motioning to the label on his shirt that read "The Good Guys," the slogan of their family owned business, American Pest Solutions.

"If one fire department can save one family pet that would be greatest gift one could recover for the purchase of these masks," James said.

East Longmeadow Fire Chief P. Robert Wallace said receiving the donation is "excellent" and it keeps in mind with the departments mission.

"Our mission is [preservation] of life and property," Wallace said, adding that animals are just as important to some people as children are.

When James and Bob are completed with their distributions, they will have distributed 13 sets of masks in total. Each set comes with three sizes and fits cats and small and large dogs. There is also no retro-fitting. James said the masks will fit right on to the fire departments' current equipment. The masks were purchased through Wintergreen Kennels of Southampton. The kennel has become the local central ordering point for the animal oxygen masks.

Jared D. Conlin, of the family-owned Wintergreen Kennels, said that they have donated 50-60 animal oxygen masks in the last six months and that it's "really taken off."

It is not uncommon for firefighters to use human oxygen masks on animals when there is no other option.

Wilbraham Fire Chief Fran Nothe said that even then "most often smoke has already gotten to them."