Firefighters provide a number of services to the public. They’re most commonly associated with braving roaring fires and providing emergency medical care, but as if that isn’t enough, there’s more that they get up to.
On June 25, firefighters from the Idaho Falls Fire Department received an unusual call and sprung to action.
Firefighters received an emergency call from an Idaho Falls resident.
Members of the Idaho Falls Fire Department were called out to Holmes Ave and Iona Road to make a rescue. But to their surprise, there was no fire or medical emergency at the intersection.
In fact, they weren’t being called to rescue any people. A concerned citizen had seen some ducklings fall into a nearby storm drain and was concerned for their safety, reported East Idaho News.
“IFFD made a very special rescue earlier this evening after a concerned citizen reported some ducklings trapped in a storm drain,” the firehouse said on their Facebook page.
IFFD made a very special rescue earlier this evening after a concerned citizen reported some ducklings trapped in a…
由 Idaho Falls Fire Department 发布于 2018年6月25日周一
A team comprising of Captain Chet Pugmire, Aaron Nelson, and Angela Corry rushed out to the location to assess the situation.
The baby ducklings could be heard chirping from underneath the storm drain’s cover, and firefighters were able to get the cover off quickly.
But pulling the ducklings out to safety proved to be more of a challenge.
As the firefighters reached in to grab the ducklings, a number of them would scurry into the drain and out of their reach. The concerned mother duck watched from the sidewalk the entire time.
That’s when the emergency responders had the idea of playing the sound of a duck quacking from a cell phone. The strategy worked well, and before long, they were pulling ducks out of the drain.
As they were pulled to safety, they were passed off to another firefighter, who helped reunite the ducklings with their mother.
Firefighters in Idaho got creative to rescue ducklings that fell into a storm drain, using a recording of a mother duck's call to lure the ducklings out of the pipe. "A happy early Mother's Day gift for this mom duck." https://abcn.ws/2G029F3
由 ABC News 发布于 2018年5月9日周三
This rescue may not have been the most dramatic in the fire station’s history but it may very well have been the most adorable.
Comments to their Facebook post lauded the fire departments quick and caring response.
“Thank you for coming to the rescue IFFD!!” one comment read.
“You guys rock. Thanks for all you do,” another said.
The Arizona Rescue
Travelling south to the state of Phoenix, firefighters from Gilbert, Arizona, were involved in another rescue for a family of ducks.
Like the Idaho fire department, the Gilbert rescuers later published a video of the event on their social media account.
“Even ducklings need help sometimes! Mama duck is very grateful to @GilbertFireDept for showing #GilbertKindness and saving her little ones,” the post read.
Even ducklings need help sometimes!
????????????Mama duck is very grateful to @GilbertFireDept for showing #GilbertKindness and saving her little ones. ????
Video credit: @WoodsideHomes pic.twitter.com/nA62MaPis5
— Gilbert, Arizona (@GilbertYourTown) May 9, 2018
Again, the poor ducklings had the misfortune of falling through a storm drain’s cover. As the firefighters tried to pry open the cover with difficulty, the mother duck paced around them frantically, evidently worried about her children.
With the combined effort of three people and numerous tools, the cover was finally opened and one of the firefighters stepped down into the drain to rescue the first duckling.
Seeing her first baby was out of the drain, the mother duck rushed next to the drain, and took a good look inside. Unfortunately, all she could do was to sit tight and wait for the firefighter to carry on with his work.
The next three ducklings were rescued with ease. However, the same issue was encountered by the Arizona firefighters—the rest of the ducklings were out of reach.
The solution was easier this time though, as there was another opening of the drain nearby.
As the firefighters pried open the other cover, the mother duck, impatient about the fate of her little ducks, plunged into the first opening. Unfortunately, the mother duck again failed to rescue any ducklings on her own. All she could manage to do was to bring herself out.
However, more ducklings were scooped out of the drain opening later by a firefighter.
As seen at the last part of the video, several ducklings were rescued from the second drain opening as well. Seeing her children were back on the sun-lit pavement, the mother duck walked away confidently followed by her ducklings.
But there was one duckling still missing.
Catching up with the mother duck, a firefighter gave the little duck a lift, helping it to join with the rest of the gaggle as they trailed behind mom.
After posting the tweet, one Twitter user complimented “awesome” and attached a photo of a family of rescued quails in Las Vegas.
Awesome @GilbertFireDept
We saved a dozen baby quail in a similar predicament here in @CityOfLasVegas pic.twitter.com/ZqKCLkWw6U— Don Jacobson (@BigSurfDon) May 10, 2018
