Firefighters too big, but girl just right to rescue kitten

[Omaha Steve]

In this May 26, 2015 photo, Lancaster Township Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Glenn Usdin, left, holds the kitten that was rescued with the help of 6-year-old Janeysha Cruz in Lancaster, Pa. Firefighters were too big to rescue the kitten from a storm drain, so with the permission of Cruz's mother, they lowered the kindergartner nearly 3 feet into the storm drain to coax the kitten out. (Brett J. Fassnacht/Lancaster Township Fire Department via AP)

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/fe01d1809b034de08d452a46ba061c09/firefighters-too-big-girl-just-right-rescue-kitten

LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) — Firefighters were too big to rescue a kitten from a storm drain in south-central Pennsylvania, but a 6-year-old girl's size proved to be just right.

Lancaster Township firefighters responded when the girl, Janeysha Cruz, and her friends saw the trapped kitten Tuesday afternoon.

The girl's mother called 911 and then gave firefighters permission to lower the kindergartner nearly 3 feet down into the drain, which was too small for the firefighters to enter. The girl was able to coax the kitten to come to her and handed it to the firefighters.

The Fire Department reported the incident on its Facebook page, along with a picture of Janeysha, Deputy Fire Chief Glenn Usdin and the kitten.

[CrawlingChaos]

1. Sweet story, but something I don't understand

I've called the fire dept. and police to try to get help with trapped animal situations. They always refuse to come out, leaving me to handle it on my own. These are situations where they could retrieve the animal safely (i.e. from high places) whereas I have to risk breaking my neck. How do people get them to come out and help?

In any event, I'm so glad this kitten was saved!

[Maedhros]

4. Lancaster is pretty small (60K residents).

Maybe that explains it?

[SoapBox]

5. I'm sure I'll take flake but...

They should shoot less and rescue more.

[Orrex]

16. Yeah, firefighters are famously trigger-happy.

[freeplessinseattle]

13. It depends

I once went right up to the station house door and knocked, when I had a cat situation witha freeway pillar.

The man and woman in the room hesitated, then looked at each other, and said ok.

Then got 3 other firefighters to join them, and before leaving told me that they wouldn't use a ladder. I'm not sure why, but I'm sure they had a good reason.

So long story short, they walked up there with an ax and other tools to assess the situation, and just told me to lure her down with food. Which didn't work, she was too scared of the height now to go back across the way she came, so ended up calling a cat in tree rescue guy to help.

It was complicated, and unlike any other rescue he had done, but he got her down!

[shenmue]

2. Awwww

Yay for kitty and hoomins!

[longship]

3. Thanks OS, for continuing to uphold DU high standards.

Which is rare recently.
R&

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. aww. nice story

[Leith]

7. Janeysha's a Hero!

She must have been so happy to be the one to rescue the kitten. Wonder if she will keep it?

[Snobblevitch]

8. I've been lurking on DU for quite some time,

and Omaha Steve, you are my favorite DUer.

When I was a little kid, our young cat went into a drainage tile it took a while to get him to come out on his own.

[Omaha Steve]

14. Welcome to the DU

[calimary]

9. Yay! The Littlest First Responder!

I see a children's book!

[Rhiannon12866]

10. Awwwww! What a feel good story!

Thanks Steve, as always!

[lpbk2713]

11. Some times the right man for the job is a ...

kid.

[kimmylavin]

12. Love it!

And just read this story from my hometown:
http://www.northjersey.com/news/leonia-police-rescue-ducklings-from-storm-drain-1.1344604
One of the officers is a friend of the family.


Feeling happy, so I think I'll stop with the news.

[Pooka Fey]

15. A kitten, a little kid, and a nice firefighter! Squeeeeeee!

Thanks for posting this, Omaha Steve.

[FSogol]

17. You rock, Janeysha. Keep up the good work. n/t