Dog Trapped On Ice In Lakewood, Rescued By Firefighters

LAKEWOOD, OH — Two dogs escaped their owner Thursday afternoon and ran into icy waters near Emerald Necklace Marina, stranding one of the pooches.

The trapped dog, "Chewbacca," resembles its namesake — a big furry animal, according to the Lakewood Fire Department. The dog's owner called 911 and asked for help.

Four Lakewood firefighters — Nick Boatman, Kimberly Petty, John Baron and Dan Corsillo —arrived with life vests, safety ropes and an inflatable life raft. Using the devices and their bellies, hands and knees, the group scrambled across the uncertain terrain to reach Chewbacca. The other pooch made it back to shore on its own.

They bundled up Chewbacca and brought him safely back to shore as well, reuniting him with his owner. The rescue lasted 15 minutes, said Fire Chief Timothy Dunphy. Firefighters practice similar ice rescues every year and this operation went seamlessly.

That doesn't mean Lakewood residents should tempt fate by venturing onto icy waters.

"Stay off the ice at all costs. It's extremely dangerous and we ask that everybody avoid going out on the ice, no matter how safe you think it is," Dunphy told Patch. He added that if your animal get stuck on the ice you should not attempt to retrieve them yourself.