Hartville firefighters rescue trapped ducklings

HARTVILLE – Thirteen ducklings fell through a storm sewer grate Wednesday afternoon, and village firefighters came to their rescue.

Assistant Fire Chief Jim Monath said a passerby heard the ducklings making sounds of distress around 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. They had fallen about a few feet below the grate. She called 911.

The fire department deployed a unit to the scene near the Sheetz gas station at Market Avenue N and state Route 619/West Maple Street. The firefighters removed the sewer grate, and firefighter/EMT Lydia Ruff went into the sewer. She handed each of the 13 ducklings up to her fellow firefighter/paramedics Madison Broz and Breanne Bryant.

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Firefighter/paramedic Camdon Boarman and fire Capt. Warren Wilkinson were also on hand to help, along with a Hartville police officer.

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Monath said it's not the first time the Hartville Fire Department has been summoned to rescue ducklings that fell into the storm sewer.

“This has happened more than once around here. I’ve been on a couple myself but not this one,” he said.

The firefighters released the ducklings who were apparently not injured near their mother by a small pond.

”They followed mom in a straight line and they went swimming. They all seemed to be in good shape,” said Monath.

Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com. X formerly Twitter: @rwangREP.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Hartville firefighters rescue trapped ducklings