Volunteers from a Pennsylvania fire department are being hailed as heroes for rescuing a dog from a frozen lake on Christmas Day. Dan Daccardi had taken his 65-pound black lab, Jack, to Brickyard Pond to use the bathroom before a long car ride. Jack started chasing a flock of ducks onto the ice and ran so far that he fell into the frozen water.
"They're coming out to save him," Daccardi said on his video recording of the rescue. "This way, boy!" he hollered at Jack.
He called 911 after Jack went into the water, bringing out the water rescue team from Quakertown Fire Department. Two engines' worth of volunteers came equipped with wet suits and rubber rafts to push out onto the lake.
Jack had likely been in the lake for about half an hour by the time firefighters reached him. At that point, they were worried time was running out."That's when we're thinking hypothermia like, 'please God, please get him out,'" said Daccardi.
"Thank you, Lord. He's up! He's in the boat!" Daccardi exclaimed as Lt. Andrew Snyder and firefighter Dylan Winters safely pulled Jack out of the water.
"He's our joy. We were worried there about him for a while, but he's fine now," said Daccardi. The good news: two days later Jack is safe and happy at home!