Now you all just sit back and let me tell you a story that will warm your heart even if you are not a dog lover. It was about 3:00 in the afternoon and the guys had finished running the last of the tree or wires down for the day after a severe storm warning had been issued for St. Mary’s County. Soon after the warning from the Emergency Communications Center the calls started coming in for several departments in the county.
The storm passed the area and as we were sitting around talking about the trees we saved when the tones dropped for a flooding condition with a dog trapped under the crawl space of the house at 23083 Barberry Lane in the Pepper Ridge section of Wildwood in California.
Now let me tell you from the point of a real dog lover (me) I grabbed my camera and before I could get out the door the Tower and Engine 91 were responding so I got Les Hansen to drive me up in the utility cause I thought this could be the opportunity to show just what our firefighters are made of when it comes to any kind of rescue and I wanted to get some pictures.
Now I’m sure that some will say this was over kill and I don’t care and I’m sure our Fire Chief doesn’t either. I will let you know when I get fired as the PIO. I hate to lose my camera but that’s o.k.
Well when the tower arrived on the scene ahead of the engine while doing a size up with the homeowner Driver/Firefighter Mikey Ryan and Firefighter Will Carter proceeded to enter the crawl space on their bellies and make their way across the flooded area to where the pretty miniature collie was sitting in the flooded area with that look on its face like how did I get here and who are all those people out there dressed like fireman and those two crawling on their bellies like I do coming my way.
Well Mikey and Will had no trouble taking the dog in their arms and then passing him off to Driver/Firefighter Matt Duncan who then handed “Clancy” off to his worried owner.
Man you can’t make this stuff up and it makes you feel good to be a firefighter. So this won’t make the news and as far as I’m concerned who cares. At least I’m offered a platform to show all you good people just what our people do.
The operation was under the direction of Sgt. Arran Young.