I sent my husband over to the pond because I had customers. When he arrived the police were investigating the scene and shortly there after the local fire & rescue truck pulled up. After a through evaluation of the scene they decided to send a fireman out on the ice to free the duck. Lt. Urban volunteered to go out on the ice.
The temperature had hit over 50 the day before so there had been a lot of melting but the temperature plummeted that night to below freezing. Not only was this risky but it was also his first time to put his training into action.
Lt. Urban was tethered by a rope to land which was being held by the other firemen. He wore a dry suit just in case. The mallard was probably 50 feet out from the shore but Lt. Urban was able to walk out to the mallard without incident.
It seems the mallard was on the ice too long. His belly was frozen to the ice. With the high temps yesterday, the water pooled on top of the pond. The mallard probably fell asleep and because they stay warm and cozy with their down feathers, didn’t awaken until much later, after the pond had froze over again.
Lt. Urban brought out a bottle of warm water and poured it on the mallards belly. With a little bit of work, it freed him. He flew away quickly and seemed unharmed.
I was very pleased to see that we have such caring individuals in the city and working for us here. The timely response and actions of the fire department, even for a seemingly minor incident, makes me feel like we are in the right hands!
