The City of Aurora’s Fire Department and Animal Care and Control Division partnered on a rescue operation the morning of July 8, saving a fawn from drowning in the Fox River.
At approximately 9:30 a.m., City staff on the Downer Place Bridge in downtown Aurora noticed a young fawn appear out of a drainage pipe in the Fox River. They immediately called Aurora Animal Care and Control for assistance, which then called the Fire Department to assist with a rescue operation.
Aurora Fire Department Truck 2 and Engine 77 were dispatched to the scene, along with veteran Animal Control Officer, Quentin Johnson. Following an initial inspection of the area, Fire staff determined that the Department’s rescue boat would be necessary to save the fawn.
Fire Privates Riley Coomes and Jonas Cebulski joined Officer Johnson on the boat to execute the rescue. After multiple failed attempts to save the fawn, Cebulski successfully used a net to capture the fawn and bring it onto the boat. As the Fire Department transferred the fawn to representatives with the Kane Area Rehabilitation and Education for Wildlife Center (KARE), they opted to name him Jonas, after the Fire Private who rescued him.
Upon an initial evaluation, Jonas is recovering well and has already joined KARE’s general deer population. For more information on KARE, and to receive updates on the status of Jonas, please visit https://www.facebook.com/KAREforWildlife.
—City of Aurora government