MADISON TOWNSHIP, IN – A routine water rescue turned into a dramatic double saving last week after a central Indiana firefighter braved violent floodwaters to rescue a drowning baby deer.
Emergency Response On Mann Road
The Madison Township Fire Department rushed to the 13000 block of North Mann Road around 3:00 p.m. following reports of a vehicle trapped in rapidly rising flash floods. Upon arrival, first responders found a car heavily submerged with the driver still trapped inside.
Fortunately, the motorist managed to escape the vehicle and return to dry land safely without requiring physical extraction from the crew.
The Dramatic Fawn Rescue
As firefighters prepared to clear the scene, they heard distressed cries coming from a baby deer being swept downstream by the muddy, fast-moving current. Capt. Joe Sinclair immediately geared up in full water rescue equipment and secured himself with a safety cable before wading into the torrent.
Bodycam and social media footage released by the department caught the exact moment Sinclair let go of a stable embankment to grab the struggling fawn just as it swept past.
The current was so powerful that it momentarily submerged the captain as his team on the shore worked to haul him and the animal back to the bank.
Current Condition And Road Closures
On-site emergency medical personnel treated the drenched fawn immediately before transferring it to a local wildlife rescue facility for full rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, local officials state that North Mann Road remains completely underwater and impassable. The fire department has issued a stern warning to the community regarding the deceptive power of flash floods, reiterating the classic safety rule: “Turn around, don’t drown.”
