Firefighters rescue wayward ducklings Firefighters rescue wayward ducklings (April 08, 2005)

Babies saved after fall through grate on Shoreline

By Jon Wiener

Mountain View firefighters rescued six ducklings that had fallen down a storm drain Sunday morning while following their mother across Shoreline Boulevard.

It was a scene straight out of "Make Way For Ducklings," complete with hazardous roads and kindly public safety officers.

A man walked into Fire Station 1 to report the sounds of ducks in the storm drain in front of the Buddhist temple, according to fire department spokesperson Lynn Brown, beginning what Brown called "the great duck chase."

A fire engine and a battalion chief's vehicle responded and spotted the mother duck fretting and circling the storm drain. The firefighters removed the grate and several others nearby, but the openings were too small to fit through. So they grabbed a broom and a scoop shovel and swept the chicks to safety.

Animal control officers from Palo Alto, called in to help, captured the mother and escorted the ducks to Shoreline. On the way there, battalion chief Mike Young radioed a message to headquarters: "Ducklings are safe."

It was not a perfect ending for the family, though, as one duckling had to be taken to the vet to recover.

The whole operation took approximately 45 minutes, according to Brown, and the firefighters were available for more urgent calls the whole time.

"We try to do good things like this when we can, but obviously human lives take precedence," said Brown. He added, "But if we can save ducks, too, hey."
E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com

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