Sterling Heights firefighters are being hailed heroes after a dramatic duck rescue and it was all caught on video.
"We get calls for the funniest things," Sterling Heights Fire Chief Chris Martin said. "We've saved ducklings on several occasions - at least once a year."
Employees at a Bank of America saw a mother duck and her ducklings in the parking lot Monday. One strayed from its flock and fell into a sewer.
Bank employee Sara Klee said, "We covered the hole with cardboard so no more would fall in."
They immediately called for help, hoping firefighters would be able to rescue it.
Lt. Medic Kelly Burgan of the Sterling Heights Fire Department said, "All three of us were brainstorming 'how are we going to get the duckling out'."
Firefighters did not want to send someone down the sewer, so they had to be creative and get help from a McDonalds employee.
Burgan explained, "The guy is right here so I ask him, 'What are the odds of you going to McDonalds, getting us a fry basket?' He gave me a look and I'm like, 'C'mon do it.'"
They taped the fry basket to a pole and scooped the duck on the first try.
"He was just flapping around in there," Burgan added. "I hope he doesn't know what a fry basket is used for."
Klee said, "I'm an animal lover so if they weren't going to be able to save it, I don't know what I was going to do."
And the firefighters got little rubber duckies as a 'thank you' gift from the bank employees.
Klee added, "I was just grateful we have a city that cares about animals."
And as for the fry basket, the manager at McDonalds said they threw it out after the rescue.
