Firefighters rescue doe, fawn from icy Montana river

MISSOULA, Mont. — Emergency crews in Missoula sprang into action to help rescue a doe and her fawn early Friday morning.

In the early morning light, the Missoula Fire Department initiated an ice water rescue on the Clark Fork River using ropes and ladders to cross the ice.

According to KECI-TV, the emergency responders worked in subzero temperatures to free the animals.

“They darted up the bank and ran east,” City of Missoula senior firefighter Brett Cunniff told the station. “They took off on their own. We’re assuming they’re fine.”

While the fire department is accustomed to rescuing animals that have fallen through the ice, Cunniff said it was the first time he had saved a deer.

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