A turtle trapped in a drain for days at a strip mall has been rescued by firefighters in a dramatic operation.
A concerned resident alerted the Sanibel Fire and Rescue District after multiple calls for help had gone unanswered. Captain Robert Wilkins and his team responded swiftly.
Wilkins said: “The call came in, and the lady was obviously distraught. She told us the turtle had been stuck for three or four days.”
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Firefighters found the turtle beneath a metal grate, floating in debris-filled water. Unsure of its condition, Wilkins noted, “If it got in, it might get out, but after days in the same spot, it could be sick or injured.”
Firefighter Allen Schelm volunteered for the rescue. With two colleagues holding his legs, he was lowered headfirst into the drain. Moments later, he emerged triumphant, turtle in hand.
Having previously saved a cat from an engine and a pelican with a hook in its neck, Schelm added the turtle to his list of rescues.
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Children watching the rescue named the turtle ‘Mr. Pickles.’
Schlem added: “We held him up and asked what he should be called. They said Mr. Pickles because he got himself in a pickle.”
After ensuring the turtle was unharmed, firefighters released him into a nearby lake.
“We are happy to serve our community, big or small—including our wildlife,” Sanibel Fire wrote on Facebook. “Great job to all who helped!”