(WSVN) - As local firefighters surveyed the damage inside of a Florida Keys home after Hurricane Irma devastated the area, they found a dehydrated deer inside.
Broward Sheriff’s Office Fire Rescue Lieutenant Nicholas Johnson said they came upon an incredibly damaged structure they wanted to check out. As they walked through, the deer popped up, startling Johnson.
“It looked a little thirsty so we went and got a couple bottles of water,” he said. “We couldn’t believe how much water it drank, but it drank four bottles of water.”
After quenching its thirst, the buck had the strength to run off.
Johnson said he and other firefighters consulted with an officer from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, who said the storm surge took out most of the deer population’s fresh water supply since salt water got mixed in.
“It’s nice to help out the wildlife as well as the citizens of Monroe County.” Johnson said.
Monroe County officials stressed this was an “extraordinary circumstance involving a distressed deer and a trained first responder. Residents of the Florida Keys should contact Florida Fish and Wildlife if they come across a deer in distress.”
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.