THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay Fire Rescue crews lived up to their name on Sunday evening, helping to rescue a black bear cub from a Machar Avenue tree.
In a release issued on Sunday evening, TBFR says the bear was spotted about 35 feet up a tree in a laneway in the north-side neighbourhood. With the assistance of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, first responders used an aerial ladder to help perform the successful rescue operation.
According to the release, the MNRF technician was unable to lure the bear close enough to be able to use a sling-pole device, which secures a cable around the animal's neck as a precaution to keep it from biting or scratching its rescuer.
“TBFR fire fighters with the assistance of Thunder Bay Police Service officers quickly developed a public safety plan which included keeping bystanders a safe distance back from the scene while rescue equipment was set up to try to capture the bear from the top of the tree,” said platoon chief John Kaplanis in the release.
“Fire fighters in an aerial ladder truck were able to secure the sling pole device around the small bear’s neck and then pull the bear into the safety of the aerial ladder basket where it was then lowered to the ground.”
Once on the ground, the bear technician took possession of the bear cub so that it could transfer the young bear to a cage for transfer to a wildlife rehab centre.
Five firefighters, a pumper truck and an aerial ladder took part in the rescue operation.
