A fire had taken over a home north of Virginia on Sunday.

St. Louis County sheriff’s deputy Harley Estey responded to the call. “Smoke was billowing from the eaves,” she recalled.

The homeowner had told authorities where three dogs were kenneled inside. Crews got them out to a little porch, and Estey, another first responder, and a civilian sprang to action. “The dogs were in pretty rough shape.”

Estey hasn’t had specific medical training for animals, but is a dog lover.

“I just related it to training you have for people. You think about the ABCs, with airway, breathing, and compressions. So we got their tongues away from the back of their throats, and cleared their airways. Then we started compressions,” she told us.

Then a firefighter brought over what was left of the oxygen in his tank. But it wasn’t enough, so Estey said they did rescue breaths.

“They started coming around,” she recalled. “It was just so cool to see all the stars aligned, and responders working together. It wouldn’t have been possible with just one or the other,” Estey added.

They were able to save two of the dogs. “We just did what we were able to do. It was one of those feel good days, when you leave and you know you did what you could.”

She hopes to catch up with the homeowner in the future to see how the dogs are doing.