Friday morning, the Guymon Fire Department’s Swift Water Rescue Team was called to assist Oklahoma Game Wardens in capturing an injured goose at Sunset Lake here in Guymon.
According to Oklahoma Game Warden Max Crocker, over the past couple of days multiple reports from the public stating of a goose that was injured and possibly crippled was at Sunset Lake. Local Animal control officers when attempting to get close to this elusive goose were hampered when the goose went straight for the water and would not let anyone near it. Same thing occurred with the Game Warden attempted to approach the goose. So Game Warden Crocker then contacted the Guymon Fire Department that had quick deployable boats and personnel trained in water type rescues. “We have the personnel, equipment, and training for special water situations, and this was another agency needing assistance in a manor we can provide,” said Assistant Fire Chief Grant Wadley.
Water Rescue team members were on the water in boats while the Game Warden and other Rescue members were on land locating, following, and eventually capturing the goose with large specialized nets. Once the goose was safely captured, Game Warden Crocker and Rescue Team Paramedics were able to locate the fishing line that had injured the goose, safely cut the fishing line off the animal’s leg, and then return him safely to the remaining birds on the lake.
This is the second time Guymon Fire Department Swift Water Rescue team has worked alongside another state agency. In 2017, while deployed to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, they worked together with other Oklahoma Game Wardens and Oklahoma Highway Patrol lake patrol division.