The Tactical Rescue Team, a combination of specialists from the Millville Fire Department and Millville Rescue Squad, completed a successful rescue of a family pet from a 30 foot deep dry well.  Each member of the Team is trained in high incline and confined space rescue.

On 12/24/2000 at 22:42 The Tactical Rescue Team was dispatched to a house on North Fourth Street.  A small dog had found its way under the house and fell into a dry well long since covered by the kitchen floor.

Members of the team assisted by other regular Fire Department and Rescue Squad members performed the rescue by assembling a tripod using a 4 to 1 pulley system to lower one of the team members (Dave Schoch) down into the hole where he retrieved the dog.  The rescue took approximately 90 minutes including the time it took to cut a hole in the kitchen floor to gain access to the well.

The dog's name was Pebble.  When rescued, Pebble had a swollen eye and appeared to be shaken but otherwise unharmed by the 30 foot fall into the well. 

Those involved in the rescue from the Millville Fire Department: Steve Alcorn, Doug Hallquist, Dave Schoch, John Wettstein III and Deputy Chief Jack Wettstein.  Members of Millville Rescue Squad: Chief John Redden, Terry Hall, Mary Smith.  In addition Millville Police Department Patrolman T. Fawcett assisted in the operation.

(all pictures are thumbnails, click to enlarge)