SPARTA TOWNSHIP, N.J. – First responders leaped into action on Wednesday after a dog wandered onto a frozen lake in New Jersey.
It was just another day for Patrolman Michael Poon when he received a call about a dog stuck on a frozen Lake Mohawk in New Jersey.
“You comfortable going in Mike?” asked a fellow officer as he put on the necessary ice suit to withstand the dangerously low temperatures.
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Officer Poon quickly changes into the ice suit, attaching ropes to himself to help with the extraction after saving the animal.
Footage shows both officers running to the lake, where Poon crawls onto the ice and makes his way to the trapped dog. Upon arrival, the dog immediately panicked, swimming away from the officer to the other side of the broken ice.
First responders quickly arrived at a frozen lake in New Jersey, where a dog had fallen through the ice and was trapped.
(Sparta Township Police Department via Storyful)
Eventually, Poon jumps into the water, quickly getting a grasp of the dog before helping it out of the water. His fellow officers then pulled him back onto dry land.
Thanks to the safety gear, Poon completed this rescue with no reported health risks, including hypothermia.
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Patrolman Michael Poon enters the icy waters at Lake Mohawk in New Jersey, where a dog is trapped.
(Sparta Township Police Department via Storyful)
According to the National Weather Service, hypothermia can occur in certain situations, particularly in water. It is essential to be aware of the many risks that come with the dropping temperatures during the winter.
“This incident serves as an important reminder about the dangers of ice,” a statement from the Sparta Township Police Department reads. “Ice conditions can change rapidly and are often unpredictable. Please use caution around frozen bodies of water and help us keep everyone safe—people and animals alike.”
