Deer Rescue Latest Animal Call for Boro Firefighters

Everyone’s heard about the metaphorical deer in the headlights. But how about a deer in a wrought-iron fence?

That’s the real-life situation borough firefighters recently faced.

While out on an alarm call on Green Avenue at 2 a.m. Aug. 12, the received a call for assistance from the , to help free a deer caught in a fence.

Responding firefighters Kevin Williams, Brian Tappen and Bruce Goodwin arrived on the scene at Danforth Avenue and were met by a representative of St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center. A dog-sized deer had wedged its head in between the posts of an old wrought-iron fence near the assisted-living center.

“St. Hubert’s had sent for a cage, but we knew that deer don’t react well to humans,” said Williams. ”They can get stressed quickly and expire. So, we wanted to handle the situation with care.”

The deer, likely a couple of months old with spots still showing, had wounds that needed treatment where it had scraped its fur away from rubbing against the fence.

While Williams held the rear legs, a snare was placed around the deer’s neck. Then, firefighters used the hydraulic jaws of life to spread the bars of the fence and free the animal.

“But [the St. Hubert’s staffer] didn’t want it to stress — they can die of a heart attack — so she let it go,” Williams said. “It took off.”

The rescue was the most recent involving the Fire Department and animals. In July first responders rescued from a house fire on Wayne Boulevard. Prior to that, that had wandered off from St. Hubert’s training school.

Goodwin used the jaws of life to bend the fence back to its original shape.

“We’re all about customer service,” Williams said.