Elk plunges into frozen pond — then firefighters step in, Colorado video shows

A curious elk ”ignored warnings” and fell through an iced-over pond in Colorado, rescuers said.

The Evergreen Fire and Rescue Department got calls of an elk needing to be rescued as neighbors called 911, according to a Facebook post by the department.

Video shows five fire personnel working together to pull the big elk out of the frigid water.

Two of the men used wooden sticks to help push the elk out of the pond while the other three men pulled on the animal’s front legs.

Once the four-legged friend is out of the water and seemingly not injured, the witnesses cheer in excitement.

Luckily the elk went on its merry way as if nothing happened, the video shows. No firefighter was injured.

Evergreen is about 30 miles southwest of Denver.

What to do if you fall through ice

It’s never a guarantee that ice is safe to walk on.

You can’t judge the strength of ice by its appearance. Its strength also has to do with the water under the ice and the distribution of the load on the ice, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Even if every safety precaution is followed, sometimes the ice can begin to shatter. Here’s what to do if you find yourself plunging through ice:

• Don’t take off your winter clothing. They’ll keep you warm and provide flotation.

• Turn toward the direction you came.

• Put your hands and arms on unbroken ice, and use available tools to try to pull yourself up.

• Kick your feet and dig in.

• Lie flat on the ice to keep your weight spread out. This will help prevent you from falling in again.

• Get to a warm and dry place immediately.

This story was originally published March 7, 2023 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Elk plunges into frozen pond — then firefighters step in, Colorado video shows."