By Linda Bock
The Telegram & Gazette
SOUTHBORO, Mass. — Sure there were jokes about “balloon boy” after everyone was safe Tuesday, but it was not so funny when rescuers feared that a person, possibly holding a bunch of valentine balloons, had fallen through the ice on Sudbury Reservoir.
Someone driving by the reservoir between Cordaville Road (Route 85) and Middle Road during the snow about 4 Tuesday afternoon thought he saw a person on the ice. He drove to the police station on Main Street to report his fear.
Police Officer Martin Laughlin and Capt. Joseph C. Mauro, fire prevention officer, returning from a medical emergency in town, were the first to stop by to investigate the report. The men saw an object moving on the ice, according to Fire Chief John D. Mauro Jr. They couldn’t see it clearly because the falling snow limited visibility. However, they thought the object was moving and bobbing the way a person lying on the ice or who had fallen through the ice might. The constant motion of balloons made rescuers wonder if someone was waving an arm to summon help.
They called for backup. All four on-duty firefighter-EMTs were tied up on two simultaneous medical emergencies, so off-duty and on-call firefighters were summoned. Engine 23 had the ice rescue equipment, and a call went out for that firetruck.
The object on the snow-covered ice was at least a football field away from the shore, but with the help of a camera with a zoom lens, investigators were able to discern it was just a bunch of partly deflated Valentine’s Day red and pink balloons.
Nevertheless, firefighters put on protective cold-water immersion suits, and readied the ice rescue sled.
Firefighter Lt. James Peltier, who was tethered to a safety line, carefully made his way over the ice to where the balloons were, to make sure that no one had fallen through the ice or was injured nearby. Once he determined nobody was in danger, Lt. Peltier grabbed the balloons and made his way back to safety.
Chief Mauro said rescuers are always careful on the reservoir’s ice, because it can appear to be frozen, but currents can leave some areas soft. The ice also can be weakened by vegetation that pokes through its surface.
The acting state forest warden from District 14 provided assistance and firefighters-EMTs from Westboro were on standby with an ambulance for a time, until they were diverted to another emergency medical call.
Traffic on Cordaville Road causeway was reduced to one lane for about a half-hour.
Chief Mauro said it’s best to err on the side of caution.
“If we didn’t remove them, we’d be receiving calls all evening, or we could have had the risk of someone else going out there.”
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