Man Falls Through Frozen Pond to Rescue Dogs in Newbury | Geauga County Maple Leaf

A man fell through an icy pond at the intersection of Music Street and Auburn Road in Newbury Township Dec. 22 while attempting to rescue his two dogs, said Newbury Fire Chief Ken Fagan Dec. 27.

First-responders received a call about the incident at 4 p.m., Fagan said, adding Newbury and Burton fire departments, as well as the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office responded and helped rescue the man and his dogs.

He and his family, from Georgia, were staying at an Airbnb, the chief said.

“When we got there, he was out in the water. There was a dock out in the middle of the pond and he was holding on to the dock with one hand and then holding on to the other two dogs with his other,” Fagan said. “I think one of them was kind of like on his head and the other one he was holding with his arm.”

He said Burton had on their ice rescue suits to help.

“They went out onto the ice and grabbed the dogs and put them on the ice, and then tied a rope around the patient and we pulled him in over the ice on the shore, and then we called for University Hospitals’ helicopter,” Fagan said.

The helicopter transferred the man, who is in his 70s, to UH Cleveland Medical Center, Fagan said, adding he was released that evening.

Fagan explained the dangers of the ice, but said the man handled the situation well.

“Ice is never safe to be on, but he did all the right (things),” Fagan said. “He said that when his dogs went out on the ice and they fell through, he went on the ice and he got on his belly and he crawled out to them.”

Fagan expressed his thanks to the deputies who helped that day.

“Several deputies were there and lent a hand on helping,” Fagan said. “They were actually (a) tremendous help carrying him because we had to carry him from the pond out to the road to the ambulance, so it was nice that they were there to help with that.”