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A donation to fire stations throughout Prince George's County may mean a happier answer to one of the first questions many families ask when they've escaped from a fire: "Are my pets OK?"

Prince George's County firefighters can now use oxygen masks for pets in emergency situations, such as after fires or accidents, just as they would for humans. The mask slips over the muzzle of an animal – from a cat to a Great Dane – and delivers oxygen.

Since April, the owners of Canine Fitness Center in Crownsville, Maury and Lynne Chaput and Lynne's mother, Irma Tillman, have donated 83 sets of pet oxygen masks to fire and rescue divisions throughout Maryland. They have donated 44 sets of masks to Prince George's County fire stations, 30 sets to Anne Arundel County fire stations, seven sets to the City of Annapolis, one set to the EMT training program at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold and one set to Animal Control of Greenbelt.

Prince George's County Fire/EMS received the masks nearly two weeks ago and has not yet needed to use them, said Mark Brady, a department spokesman.

Prince George's County firefighters are trained as medics or EMTs and are already familiar with oxygen masks, Brady said. The fire department anticipates no additional costs from the masks.

Each set costs $60 and comes with a small, medium and large mask.

"I would suspect that if our personnel encounter any type of pet, as long as the mask fits, we'll use it," Brady said.

Brady estimates that in the past year there have been about 12 fires in which pets were injured or died. Of those 12 incidents, eight or nine of the pets that died were cats, dogs, or birds.

The Chaputs' goal is to donate mask sets to fire departments in all 24 Maryland counties, which should take about five years.

Maury Chaput is a former volunteer firefighter—and also a dog lover.

"Because of our business…it made sense," he said. "I hope they never get used, but I'm glad they're there if they are needed."

His company, Canine Fitness Center, provides acupuncture and canine massage. In 2007 the Chaputs found out about H.E.L.P Animals, Inc., a non-profit organization in Orange City, Fla., that is the sole supplier of the pet oxygen masks in the United States.

Since 2003, more than 5,000 mask sets and more than 160 large masks have been distributed in the United States and to cities in Canada and Europe, according to the H.E.L.P Animals' Web site. Masks are supplied through monetary donations received from individuals, businesses and communities.

More than 100 people have donated money to Canine Fitness Center to buy the masks and 100 percent of the money goes toward purchasing them, Maury Chaput said.

Mary Crampton, a paramedic with the Bureau of Advanced Emergency Medical Services in the advanced life support medic unit at the Calverton Fire Station, has been a paramedic for 14 years. She has never used a pet oxygen mask but sees the potential benefits.

"I think they're a wonderful tool we'll be able to use, maybe only in limited situations like a fire, carbon monoxide in someone's home or in an injury," Crampton said. "They're a little more sturdy, but similar to human oxygen masks. And, they're reusable."

Brandy Kreitzer, a volunteer firefighter and an EMT trained in basic life support with the Bowie Volunteer Fire Department in Mitchellville, has not used pet oxygen masks but said she could have recently used one.

"We rescued an animal not too long ago, and if the dog was in there a lot longer we would have needed oxygen, and we had no way of getting it," Kreitzer said. "It could help save animals."

For information, call Canine Fitness Center at 410-923-7946 or visit www.caninefitnesscenter.com.

E-mail Liz Skalski at eskalski@gazette.net.