Highland Township, MI – Emergency crews in Oakland County teamed up Friday morning to rescue a deer trapped on thin ice at Dunham Lake.
According to the Highland Township Fire Department, firefighters were called around 10:12 a.m. to a report of a deer stranded on the frozen lake near Dunham and Addaleen. A second deer soon followed onto the ice and fell through, prompting an urgent multi-agency response.
Officials said one deer managed to regain footing and climb back to shore, while the second remained in the water. Due to the unstable ice conditions, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team (OCSO SSRT) was activated and deployed a hovercraft to assist firefighters in reaching the stranded animal.
While rescue operations were underway, a third deer also fell through the ice but was able to self-rescue and make it safely back to land, according to authorities.
Crews successfully retrieved the remaining deer from the lake, marking the operation a success and highlighting the coordinated effort between the Highland Township Fire Department and the sheriff’s office rescue team.
“This was a great example of teamwork and quick action,” officials said in a statement.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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