Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Firefighters rescue duckling trapped in storm sewer

Duck

Courtesy Clark County Fire Department

This duckling was rescued from a storm drain on East Flamingo Road.

Click to enlarge photo

Firefighters use specialized equipment to rescue a duckling from a storm drain, Tuesday, April 29, 2014.

Call it a lucky duck.

A highly specialized rescue team saved a duckling that became trapped in a storm sewer today, according to a Clark County Fire Department release.

Tourists from Nashville, Tenn., alerted Clark County Fire Department to the duckling's plight on East Flamingo Road near Palos Verdes Street.

Fire officials were told by the tourists — who had hurried to the nearby fire department office to report the incident — that a mother duck had waddled over a storm grate, and when her two ducklings followed, they fell through.

The situation worsened when the ducklings wandered down another drainpipe, falling 15 feet into a foot of water in the main sewer, the release said.

It was determined that saving the ducklings would require special equipment.

The Confined Space Rescue Team at Las Vegas Fire and Rescue Station 44 agreed to help, the release said. Confined-space rescues require highly specialized training and equipment, the release said.

This is because rescuers are dealing with an area that has limited access and isn’t intended for humans, the release said, often because of limited oxygen or hazardous gases present.

Going into a confined space requires special suits, communications equipment, tethered breathing air, as well as emergency air supplies, the release said.

A rescuer was lowered into the sewer and was able to save one of the ducklings.

The rescued duckling was transported to Paradise Pet Hospital. After the hospital stay, the duckling will be transferred to Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary, the release said.

It's unclear what happened to the sibling duckling, and the mother duck's whereabouts is unknown.

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