Not Again! Firefighter Rescues Another Dog from Big Mess

February 13, 2001 
Easton, Pennsylvania, USA

Now imagine a conversation at the Easton Fire Department:

Dispatcher: Ok, who wants to dive into the sewage this time?

Sepulveda:  Not me.  I got the last one.

Ryerson:  Let's draw straws...

For the second time in two weeks, firefighters were called to the Easton wastewater treatment plant to rescue a dog that had fallen into an oxidation tank.  It was a different dog, but the circumstances were almost identical (to read about the last one, click here).

Plant workers were alerted to the situation by a dog who was running back and forth near the 20-ft. deep ditch.  Upon investigating the scene, they found another dog trapped there in the 50-degree sludge.  According to plant Superintendent Bernie Wassel, the dog must have been there for a half-hour.

Plant workers managed to get a rope around the dog's neck and were able to tow the dog to the edge of the tank while firefighters were called.  The workers did not attempt to lift the dog out, for fear of being bitten.

Firefighters arrived and quickly extracted the dog.  "Doug [Ryerson] just reached in that goop and pulled the dog out," said Fire Captain Wayne Unangst.

The dog, a 2-year-old Akita/pit bull, was taken to the Williams Township SPCA where kennel attendants were able to identify the dog and contact the owner.  Earlier this month, the Gordon setter from last time had been reunited with her owner as well. 

It is believed that the animals enter the plant by way of a faulty gate that is normally locked but had been damaged by a recent car crash.  A wandering dog could easily fall into the oxidation tank and be sucked into the flow pipe.  Plant Superintendent Bernie Wassel has stated that the gate will be repaired today.

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