A 12-person team at the Salvation Army Worship and Service Center in Altoona has been certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid for animals.

The idea for creating a Certified Animal Response Team (CART) began last summer after conversations with first responders and observations at emergency scenes, where first responders had to focus on care of human beings, according to Salvation Army Major Christopher

Blessing, speaking after a recent meeting of Blair County’s Local Emergency Planning Committee, where he announced the group’s certification.

After learning that Blair County didn’t have a CART, the Salvation Army explored the issue and obtained training from a representative of the Westmoreland, Fayette, Allegheny Chapter of the Pennsylvania Animal Response Team, Blessing said.

“(Having a team) takes a burden off of them,” Blessing said of firefighters or ambulance workers.

“It takes a big burden off,” said Mike Hawksworth, deputy fire chief for the city. “It lets us focus on the incident at hand.”

Since getting certified at the end of May, the team has been deployed once, at a structure fire on Sixth Avenue, where the team looked over some pets, assisting AMED, Blessing said.

The team is available to be dispatched only at the request of a recognized first responder organization, according to Blessing.

On major incidents, the Salvation Army sends its disaster response team, and that team is trained in animal care, so when help with animals is needed, it’s already there, said Hawksworth, a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board.

The team’s equipment includes oxygen masks for animals of all sizes, although not for snakes and lizards, Blessing said.

In addition to knowing how to do CPR and having the equipment to do it, the team has learned how to stabilize bone breaks for transport, Blessing said.

Team members have learned where the heart is located in various animals, how to check the pulse for various animals, what the pulse rate should be, how to take the temperature and what the normal temp is for various animals and what sort of foods are dangerous for what sorts of animals, Blessing said.

Grapes and raisins, for example, are toxic for dogs, he said.

Team members have learned how injuries and stress manifest themselves with dogs and cats, for example, he said.

And team members have learned how to handle bloating, a serious problem whose symptoms include a swollen stomach, vomiting, foaming at the mouth, lethargy, head down and tail between the legs, Blessing said.

It’s a condition that requires immediate transport to a veterinarian, he said.

Team members have learned that when doing CPR compressions, it’s better to lay an animal on its right side, because it provides better access to the heart, he said.

They’ve also learned that in contrast to compressions on humans, the practitioner is not likely to hear breaking ribs during compressions, Blessing said.

Team members have also learned about common animal allergies and diseases, he said.

The Salvation Army had no trouble finding pet-loving volunteers for the team after announcing its intention.

“There was a good pool of great-hearted people to choose from,” he said.

The team is comprised of volunteers.

The team is “new to the game” and is looking to connect with area fire, police and ambulance agencies, Blessing said.

“If an animal is involved, give us a call,” he said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.