Altoona’s Salvation Army Worship and Service Center has made a meaningful commitment by way of its decision to expand its already laudable work agenda.

The new agenda item centers on the area’s animal population, specifically during emergency circumstances.

All area emergency services should open themselves to what the local Salvation Army unit wants to do and begin a positive working relationship — a partnership — as soon as possible.

Developing that relationship should be easy, and that cooperative agenda should be encouraged enthusiastically by area residents, whether or not they have pets.

For example, in an emergency such as a residential fire, concern, help and compassion need to extend to everyone and everything impacted by that situation. And, although there needs to be no reminder that animals rank second to human life, they should be extended all efforts possible to save them and protect their well-being when emergencies strike.

They feel pain and experience suffering, just like humans.

Area emergency services are cognizant of that. Many responders have pets of their own and are well aware of how the loss of a beloved pet would impact their own home and family — how much sorrow and heartache would prevail — if a pet were lost or injured seriously in such an incident.

The Altoona Salvation Army unit is dedicated to making such injuries and losses of pets’ lives less frequent. As explained in a July 1 Mirror article, a 12-person Salvation Army volunteer team has been formed and certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid for animals, with the goal of helping more endangered animals survive emergency ordeals.

The team also has learned how to stabilize bone breaks for transport.

The article went on to explain that the idea for creating a certified animal-response team began last summer, based on conversations with first responders, as well as through observations during in-progress emergency operations.

When responding to an emergency, emergency personnel first must ascertain whether any human is in need of rescue and focus on getting anyone in danger to safety, then turn full attention to the broader needs of the situation.

While making the determination of whether any humans are in danger, emergency personnel routinely try to help any animals whose lives are endangered. However, addressing the emergency usually does not provide time for responders to provide medical treatment for the animals they encounter.

Thanks to the special Salvation Army team, a resource might be available, or actually might already be on hand, to address animal needs under such crisis conditions.

However, as the July 1 Mirror article reported, the team is available to be dispatched only at the request of a recognized first responder organization. That is why it is important for the Salvation Army’s volunteer responders and responder organizations to have in place a full understanding of procedures related to the emergencies that might be encountered and their respective roles.

The availability of the Salvation Army unit “takes a big burden off emergency responders,” said Mike Hawksworth, deputy Altoona fire chief and a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board.

Based on his firefighting experience, he knows only too well the challenges in play any time firefighters are summoned.

For now, the new Salvation Army unit, amid the numerous emergency responders, is in its infancy, but it has the potential to grow up quickly.

The various responder organizations should help in that process, wherever and whenever possible.