Rich Schmitt, NREMT-P, BART Volunteer

The Minneapolis Fire Department and its Basic Animal Rescue Training (BART) trained rescuers score big with residents. On November 27, 2006, while tending to an injured motorist, firefighters sensed the elderly woman’s anxiety went beyond her minor injuries. Further questioning revealed the woman was more worried about her German Shepherd left at home alone.
While the woman was transported to a local hospital, Captain Rita Juran and crew went to the victim’s home not far away. Capt. Juran made a new friend in the hungry dog and saw to it that food and water were readily available. Juran and other firefighters also walked and played with the shepherd in the back yard before leaving the home. Capt. Juran along with Firefighters Preusse, Dooley and Wilson went above and beyond and came away with a new sense of accomplishment, while easing the concerns of the injured community resident.
Minneapolis firefighters have also performed several pet rescues since their BART training in Spring of 2006. In October 2006, Minneapolis Fire Station 4 personnel responded to a house fire. A dog was removed from the scene and provided oxygen by the first responders. The dog was revived on the scene in response to this care.
A second pet rescue in Minneapolis took place on November 21, 2006 and produced a large degree of appreciation from some very small residents. As Captain Jeremy Norton and crew responded to a residential kitchen fire, they mentally prepared for the unexpected. What wasn’t expected was the homeowner’s plea to rescue some furry friends. The fearful occupants of the Minneapolis home evacuated immediately as instructed when their kitchen became ablaze, leaving several pets trapped inside the smoke filled home. Upon arrival, firefighters entered the home and reappeared with the family’s Guinea Pig, Long Haired Hamster and several cats.
Subsequent assessment of the animals revealed no serious injuries. The helping hand to get the pets out of the burning home was just what BART had ordered. The relieved homeowners expressed great appreciation for the pet rescues, and said that their pets are like family members to them.
Capt. Norton has also experienced the tragic side of an attempted animal rescue when he pulled an occupied kennel from a different home on fire. Norton and crew attempted to revive a Bulldog found in the kennel, but it was too late. The Minneapolis firefighters expressed a great deal of appreciation for BART training nonetheless. Capt. Norton said, “Without our BART training and equipment, an appropriate attempt at reviving this dog would not have been possible.”
In November 2006, Acting Capt. Isabel Moreno of the Minneapolis Fire Department and her crew responded to a structure fire. Firefighter Hupp discovered a cat on the scene that was coughing up smoke. Lifesaving measures were started as taught in the BART training. On the instructions of the Incident Commander, the emergency responders administered oxygen and transported the cat to a local veterinarian for further care.
These rescues are just a small part of what the Minneapolis Fire department has accomplished since their BART training. The relationship between BART and the Minneapolis Fire Department continues to grow and the community’s human and animal residents benefit from it with each rescue.