Bridget Reed Morawski
WMAL

WASHINGTON– Twenty firefighters from two fire companies came to the rescue of one Reston dog this morning.

A neighbor called 911 after noticing that Angel, a well-known pet in the area, was trapped in the river after falling through thin ice.

Luckily for Angel, a number of fire fighters from the Tyson’s Corner fire company were already in the area for training. Within ten minutes of the initial 911 call, firefighters had arrived on scene at 2004 Turtle Pond Drive and retrieved the retriever from a waterway which connects to Lake Thoreau.

Fairfax Fire Captain Randy Bittinger cautioned area residents about walking on ice, regardless of how thick it may appear to be.

“We don’t typically get a deep freeze here in Northern Virginia,” said Captain Bettinger. “Many people who may be coming into the area from Northern Virginia, maybe from a colder climate, [they] may be used to a thicker depth”

“Typically, the ice around here doesn’t get thick enough for people to be walking on.”

While the 75 lbs. pup was able to be saved quickly, Bettinger also warned residents against attempting their own rescue efforts. In the past, what could have been a one-pet rescue turned into something more complex.

“People try to do these rescues, and typically what happens is we end up going to find the whole family or a whole bunch of people who have fallen through the ice because they think “oh, I can go through there.”

In Angel’s case, the situation was handled quickly and without too much trouble. Medics on scene were able to determine that she was uninjured and able to walk home – though perhaps, after her accident, with her tail between her legs.

Video courtesy of Fairfax County Fire Department