WHITMAN, MA - Around 11:45 A.M. on the morning of Sunday, February 11th, the Whitman Fire Department responded to 258 Winter Street for a report of a horse down in a barn. Engine-243, Car-3 and Ambulance-248 responded.

Companies arrived to find a 37-year-old horse that was found down in its stall earlier in the morning. After a consultation with members of the Plymouth County Technical Rescue Team via telephone, Acting Captain Nick Grasso requested the Plymouth County Technical Rescue Team to respond with their large animal rescue members and equipment.

While awaiting the county technical rescue teams members and equipment, Whitman firefighters attempted to raise the horse to its hoofs using the airbags from Engine-243. After several failed attempts, members of the technical rescue team began to arrive. Tech team members formulated a plan to put into place as soon as their equipment arrived. Once the trailer of equipment arrived on-scene, members quickly were able to get the horse onto a specialized large animal moving board, and slid the horse out of the barn. Several attempts were made to get the horse to its hooves on its own, but to no avail.

A specialized large animal lifting harness, which was recently acquired by the technical rescue team, was secured around the horse, and lifted the horse to its hooves using a Kubota tractor. Within minutes of being lifted upright, the 37-year-old horse was able to stand on its own, eat and drink. After consulting with a veterinarian, the horse was freed of the lifting equipment, and was seen walking around the property with their owner.

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