South Greensburg firefighters, public works crew rescue 8 ducklings from storm drain

Paul Peirce
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 10:24 a.m. | Wednesday, June 10, 2020 10:24 a.m.

Go Ad-Free Today!

Courtesy of Dave Todaro

Mother and baby ducklings quickly moved on Wednesday after they were lifted out of storm drain in South Greensburg by volunteer firefighters and public works employees.

Courtesy of Dave Todaro

Eight baby ducklings were rescued Wednesday from a storm drain by South Greensburg volunteer firefighters and the public works department. The rescue occurred at the corner of Pine Street and Coulter Avenue in South Greensburg.

Courtesy of Dave Todaro

Eight baby ducklings were rescued Wednesday from a storm drain by South Greensburg volunteer firefighters and the public works department. The rescue occurred at the corner of Pine Street and Coulter Avenue in South Greensburg.

Courtesy of Dave Todaro

Eight baby ducklings were rescued Wednesday from a storm drain by South Greensburg volunteer firefighters and the public works department. Here, South Greensburg Fire Chief Eric Hardy climbs out of storm drain where the rescue occurred at the corner of Pine Street and Coulter Avenue in South Greensburg.

South Greensburg public works department employees and volunteer firefighters teamed up Wednesday morning to rescue eight baby ducks that fell into a storm drain, according to borough resident Dave Todaro.

“I guess the mother duck was flying from rooftop to rooftop upset that her babies had fallen through a storm grate, and the racket tipped off a public works crew that was nearby,” Todaro said.

Todaro, who lives on Pine Street, witnessed and took photographs of the rescue between 8:30 and 9 a.m. at Pine and Coulter Avenue.

“The grate is so heavy that public works brought down a backhoe to lift the grate so the fire department could climb down in it. George Skodak of the public works department worked the backhoe,” Todaro said.

South Greensburg fire Chief Eric Hardy climbed into the drain, placed the ducklings in a bucket and lifted them up to crews and residents watching intently from above.

Todaro said the rescue went smoothly and was quick.

“They let the ducklings out nearby, and they went happily on their way,” Todaro laughed.