Macclesfield CFA: Who do you call when a 500kg horse gets stuck in a hole?
When a 500kg horse gets stuck down a creek or a pup gets trapped under a concrete slab, these firefighters are the experts to call for help. Here are some of their best rescues. SEE THE PICTURES
They battle bushfires, lend a helping hand during after floods and are often the first on the scene of an emergency.
But when a 500kg horse gets stuck in a hole it’s the firefighters at Macclesfield CFA brigade who have the unique set of skills to come to the rescue.
The brigade is one of the only Victorian organisations with equipment needed to safely rescue large animals.
Captain Sharon Merritt said the reason why the brigade has the skills is simple: No one seemed to have them and animals needed saving, too.
Now the brigade’s volunteers are regularly called across the state to mount a rescue operation.
Many rescues involve using manpower to haul horses, with the average horse weighing about 500kg, and needing 20 pairs of hands.
Ms Merritt said the brigade always preferred to manually pull and lift animals, because it meant they were able to react more quickly if something went wrong.
The rescues aren’t usually quick, with the volunteers usually spending about four hours on each job — and they aren’t always a success story.
Ms Merritt shares some of her favourite rescues in recent years.
BOOTS STUCK IN THE MUD
It was more than just the team’s boots stuck in the mud during the sweltering day of March 2, 2019.
Macclesfield CFA brigade members were called to help Boots the pet donkey after she got stuck up to her neck in mud in a dried up dam in Yellingbo.
Ms Merritt said the team, working alongside Yellingbo CFA brigade members, had to pour water around Boots to break the suction of the mud so they could get their straps under her.
They sedated Boots to keep her calm before they put her on a stretcher and pulled her out of the dam.
She came to and walked away a happy, healthy donkey.
TED’S NOT SO EXCELLENT ADVENTURE
Macclesfield CFA brigade members had to break through a concrete slab and dig a 1m to rescue an adventurous koolie dog on November 3, 2019.
Ms Merritt said Ted the koolie and his mate chased a rabbit down a wombat hole under a shed in Macclesfield, but only the friend managed to make it back out.
The firefighters worked with Emerald SES members to smash through the 15cm concrete slab on the shed floor and start digging.
“Eventually we saw this pair of eyes,” Ms Merritt said.
“(Ted) was so excited.”
She said they then still had to dig for some time to free the dog, who had been stuck underground for a few hours.
Ms Merritt said Ted was so happy to be freed he kept running laps around his rescuers once he was back above the ground.
MUM-TO-BE PULLED TO SAFETY
Dusty, the grey mare from Woori Yallock Creek became stuck in a small creek on March 10, 2018.
Ms Merritt said the horse was trapped between logs under the water and was unable to get up the steep side of the embankment.
The crew, with help from Hillcrest CFA brigade, had to use a chainsaw to cut some of the underwater logs so they could begin to move Dusty
Dusty was sedated then put on a rescue glide and pulled up the steep walls of the creek.
She walked away cold and tired but looking forward to getting back to her paddock partner.
Little did anyone know, Dusty was actually pregnant at the time.
Six months later she gave birth to a healthy foal.
OLD HORSE STUCK IN TRENCH
A 32-year-old thoroughbred horse needed saving on April 30, 2018 after she fell into a trench in Emerald and couldn’t get up.
Ms Merritt said the owner was rebuilding their house after it burnt down and had dug the trench to install electricity lines.
Addie the horse slipped into the hole and ended up stuck on her side, unable to find her feet.
Volunteers from Emerald SES and Menzies Creek CFA helped Macclesfield CFA members pull her out.
Addie was sedated and pulled back onto her feet.
Despite her old age, she walked away and is still kicking.