#TBT: That Time Bangor Firefighters Save The Day For A Mama Duck & Ducklings

What a fitting way to start International Firefighters Day, by bringing back a story that took place one year ago today, when a group of Bangor Firefighters saved a special little family from peril...Mama Duck and all her babies.

It all started in the early morning hours when folks who work at PCHC showed up to work that Thursday morning and noticed a duck hanging out by a storm drain.

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Heidi Farquhar was working at the facility and said the situation caught her eye.

"So I watched her for a bit and she was circling a storm drain! I went and checked a little later and she was still there! I started to get worried! I had a coworker look down the drain and there were 5 babies down there!"

Farquhar says she called the Warden, while another worried employee called the fire department.

Lt. Brian Lachapelle along with Firefighter David Estes and Firefighter/Paramedic Nick Oakes showed up on the scene, just as the Warden got there, and the men made quick work of reuniting Momma with her babies!

Lt. Lachapelle said the call came in just about 6:30 in the morning, that some ducklings had fallen through a sewer grate.

"There were 5 ducklings that had fallen down through the grate. There was actually a Maine Warden that had met us... and after we had removed the grate, he assisted us in removing the ducklings out of the sewer drain. Then we kind of escorted or rounded up the mother and the ducklings over to a nearby body of water, and hopefully, they're going to live happily ever after!"

Lt. Lachapelle said this is not the first time something like this has happened; it's more common than you might think.

"We were fortunate, with this, that they did not move further down the sewer drain and we were able to get them out easily. This one was a fairly straightforward and easy rescue."

Farquhar and another employee, Bobbi Lynn Wood, were able to catch the rescue on video. (see below)

Wood said it was impressive that so many people came together to help in this situation.

"This is a healthcare facility and as crazy as everything has been the last couple of years; we all stopped to help a mamma duck and 5 babies. Happy ending."

Lt. Lachapelle said that as the mother duck and ducklings were reunited, he couldn't help but smile.

"It made my morning. It's something that was an unusual call, and it definitely made my morning. I was happy to see it."

Thank you to all firefighters today, especially our local heroes!

Check out this sweet rescue!