Oklahoma City Firefighters` Duckling Rescue Video Takes Off

July 03--The firefighters at Fire Station 30 haven't been rescuing any cats from trees lately, though they did save a brood of ducklings from an Oklahoma City storm drain.

A caller reported the ducklings wandered into the drain just north of NW 50 and Meridian Avenue the morning of April 25. The crew of Engine 30 that day -- Capt. Ron Robertson, Lt. Mark Calhoon, firefighter Adam Hopper, and fire recruit Zachary Ricks -- made the ride.

"Some citizens made a phone call here to the station and notified us that they saw a mother duck with some babies inside the storm drain, and needed help getting out over there. We notified dispatch that we were going over there," Robertson said.

"We made sure the entry was clear and safe and we sent recruit Ricks down there and he was able to start pulling the ducks out," he said.

"The most difficult part of it was probably not stepping on the ducks when I got down there," Ricks said.

"Once we got the ducks out of the storm drain, we transported them over towards the woods in a creek area where the mama duck was," Hopper said.

Fire spokesman District Chief Benny Fulkerson was nearby when the call came out, and took video of the rescue, which has been viewed more than 150,000 times on Facebook.

Ricks said he volunteered to get down into the storm drain. "I've never done a cat rescue, but it seems like the ducks are becoming more and more popular now. A lot more go down in that drain, so a lot of people end up calling trying to get those ducks out of there."

To see footage of the rescue, visit NewsOK.com

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