Our County Fair: A Behind the Scenes Rescue!

Fire-Rescue. That's a primary function of Brandon Fire Department based in Ortonville and fire departments everywhere. They are the men and women who fight the fires and in most  of Oakland County provide emergency medical services. During the on-going Oakland County Fair four local fire departments,  Springfield, Groveland, The North Oakland Fire Authority and Brandon provide first aid station coverage for the thousands of fair goers. With that scence set we jump back to 8:30 am, Monday July 12. Brandon Fire had been on location at the fair for less than five minutes and was setting up the first aid area: a staging area that had been empty for a year. When a cot was opened a ball of dry leaves, tissue paper and fur tumbled out and one very distressed white-footed mouse tumbled to the ground complete with tiny sucklings. She scampered to safety under the dual tires of Brandon's rescue truck: not a safe place. After 15 minutes of nudging and reaching and streching, firefighters Carrie, Paul and Brandon secured mom in a dust pan and the small gathering of curious fair workers and Sherrif's Deputies offered suggestions, "Ahh, take her to the birthing tent." And that's when I was able to jump into my firemedic/naturalist role and announced Ms. Mouse is a tree climbing species. We trekked her to the edge of a woods and set the furry clan at the tree trunk and like a climber heading for the summit of K-2 she began her rapid 15 second ascent to a massive oak limb. One tiny teat-hanger lost her nipple grip to be caught by Carrie--note the blue gloved hand and mouse baby in right lower side of bottom picture. Mom mouse did not know that Walt Disney said never touch a baby or mom will abandon. She added the tiny one to her teats from the safety of the limb and continued the ways of a wild mouse in a shady oak tree. And Carrie and Brandon and Paul and I returned to the first aid base and waited for the our first two-legged patient. None were as memorable as the mouse rescue that opened our 2010 fair with smiles.