On January 7, fast-moving wildfires erupted in Southern California, ripping across thousands of acres in Los Angeles.
As the LAFD races to contain the various fires, fire crews have flown out from Texas, Denver, Montana, and even Mexico to aid in the fight.
And on January 9 — over 1,000 miles away in Colorado — firefighters from the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority were facing their own unique challenge: pulling a horse out of a frozen pond.
“LFRA responded to a large animal ice rescue late this afternoon on South County Road 13,” read a post on the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority Facebook page.
“A horse found a way through a fence and onto a frozen pond, which unfortunately could not hold the weight of the horse.”
According to the post, the horse — which is blind in one eye — was trapped in the middle of the pond and was unable to make its way back to shore.
Soon, all hands were on deck as help from the Berthoud Fire Protection District, Larimer County Sheriff's Office, Thompson Valley EMS and City of Loveland, Colorado’s Government Water and Power Department arrived at the scene to provide assistance.
Working quickly, the firefighters donned “ice rescue suits” and jumped into the frigid waters, breaking the ice with axes and sledgehammers to carve out a pathway for the animal.
In the end, the horse was led to shore with a series of ropes and guiding hands.
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“The rescued horse was warming up and recovering as crews picked up equipment and returned to service,” the fire department assured locals.
“Happy to report a good outcome on this incident,” Berthoud Fire Protection District responded on Facebook.
In the comments, locals chimed in to show their appreciation for the firefighters on duty.
“What a remarkable rescue those people pulled off,” one person commented.
“So glad that you guys are dedicated to rescuing any living creature!” replied another.
“With all the bad news about fires,” one person wrote, “it is a joy to read about and to see these heroes in action.”
Header image via Loveland Fire Rescue Authority
