Boardman firefighters rescue nine ducklings from culvert

Staff report

BOARDMAN

Firefighters are used to rescues.

But besides the occasional cat stuck in a tree, it’s typically people they’re saving.

About 11 a.m. Saturday, firefighters rescued nine of 10 ducklings out of a water culvert by Kmart on U.S. Route 224, near South Avenue, one of the township’s busiest intersections.

A motorist called the fire department about the baby ducks quacking in the culvert after first seeing them in the street. Firefighters drove to the intersection in a firetruck. After lifting a manhole cover to get close to the ducklings, a firefighter was able to grab nine of them — one at a time — and hand them to another firefighter holding a box to keep the babies safe.

The other duckling swam away.

The firefighters spotted the mother during the rescue. She flew across the street, near the former Value City but kept an eye on her babies, firefighters said.

The firefighters brought the box of ducklings to the mother and let them walk out of the box.

The nine ducklings got behind their mother, who walked away from the firefighters.