Wash. Firefighters Save Baby Ducks From Storm Drain

KENNEWICK, Wash. -- Mothers don't like to see their babies in trouble.

But that's the nightmare one mother duck faced when all 10 of her newly hatched ducklings went plop, plop, plop down into a 4-foot-deep storm drain at HAPO Community Credit Union on West Hildebrand Boulevard in Kennewick.

"Passersby spotted the mother duck having hysterics in the parking lot, saw the baby ducks swimming in the water at the bottom of the storm drain and called one of the stations," said Kennewick Fire Department Battalion Chief Vince Beasley.

"We don't get so many calls about ducks, but we do get calls about cats up trees. Those we have to be careful with because of the power lines. But if we can do the rescue safely we'll take a look and typically do it to the best of our ability," he said.

Acting Capt. Andra Thompson and her crew were sent out Sunday afternoon to see if the ducklings could be safely rescued.

"They all saw an opportunity to serve the community and wanted to help. They did have some fun with it but all jumped in do their bit to rescue the trapped ducklings," Beasley said.

When firefighters arrived, mama duck backed off but kept a close eye on the proceedings.

Firefighter Ethan Bishop was chosen for the rescue.

"It most likely had something to do with the size of the hole and who best fit," Beasley said.

The storm drain has just a few inches of water in it. So it was simply a matter of lowering Bishop in without injuring the ducklings. One by one Bishop reached down and captured each tiny bit of fluff and handed it up to fellow firefighters.

The baby birds temporally were corralled in a box before being taken to a nearby grassy area and released.

Mother duck, amid much quacking, rounded up her flock, counting each baby bill.

Then, as firefighters and onlookers watched with big grins, she led them away toward a nearby irrigation canal.

Copyright 2012 - Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, Wash.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service