Watch D.C. Firefighter Crawl Into Storm Drain to Save an Adorable Black Lab Who’d Been Trapped for Hours
Courtesy of DC Fire and EMS
Earlier this month, a crew of Washington, D.C. firefighters made a daring rescue to save Brady the black Labrador retriever. Brady became stuck for several hours in a storm drain with flowing water before the local rescue team was able to free him.
The complicated rescue required a team of over half a dozen crew members and precise planning. Careful efforts were made before the rescue, including air monitoring to guarantee enough space for a safe procedure, and a drysuit and tether to protect Brady's rescuer, firefighter Matt Owen of D.C. Rescue Squad 2.
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When it came to the daunting task of entering the storm drain, local reports say the team made the practical decision to send in the slimmest member of their crew to navigate the two-foot diameter structure. Owen crawled about 40 feet into the actively flowing drain to save Brady before being led back out by fellow rescuers.
Update animal rescue. A member of #DCsBravest Special Ops from Rescue Squad 2 has successfully rescued “Brady”, a black lab who had been trapped several hours in a storm drain with water flowing. pic.twitter.com/7Mg3Cgdp5G
— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) February 7, 2021
The heroic feat was documented on the DC Fire and EMS Twitter account, where the 42-second video shows a tired and scared Brady exiting the drain. Once the pup is out safely, the team members help Owen make his way out.
Brady's owner believes the dog was trapped for hours before the fire department was called. The missing dog was found when barking led rescuers to his location in a storm drain approximately 100 yards into the woods.
We're so glad Brady was rescued, and we're grateful for the D.C. Rescue Squad's dedication to their community—and to firefighter Matt Owen for his heroic effort to save this precious pup.
