Firefighter’s home improvement trip turns into duckling rescue

Digital Producer

PITTSBURGH —

A firefighter who was heading to Home Depot to get supplies for a home improvement project jumped into action after finding five ducklings trapped in a storm drain near Pittsburgh.

The North Fayette Township Volunteer Fire Department shared a post on Facebook Saturday, saying firefighter Matt Klein was headed to Home Depot for a home improvement project when he noticed a frantic-looking mother duck walking back and forth near a storm grate.

Officials said Klein saw five ducklings at the bottom of the drain and called his colleagues at the department for help.

The ducklings were rescued from the drain — two before the fire department arrived, and three others with the help of officials.

The post said the last duckling was 30 feet down the drain pipe that led to another catch basin. The department said it had to be flushed out using water from an engine.

The ducklings were not injured. They have all since been reunited with their mother.

“These calls not only help animals in distress, but are good for us as they often require us to stretch our brains in thinking outside of the box when it comes to tools available to us on our rescue truck to achieve goals beyond cutting an accident victim out of a car or putting a fire out, and all in a low-stress environment,” the department said in the post.