Photos/Story by Michael D. Watiker
It is happy trails once again for a 7-year-old horse named Laddy, thanks to
Columbus and Westerville, Ohio firefighters.
The horse tried to kick its way out of its trailer as it traveled along a
busy Interstate-270 (I-270) in Columbus June 24.
The animal kicked the trailer doors so hard, that he almost knocked them off
the trailer, causing it to flip, and trapping the horse inside.
The Columbus Fire Department's (FAO) Fire Alarm Office received a 911 call
reporting a horse trapped in a trailer and that the animal was in distress.
A rescue assignment was dispatched consisting of Columbus Fire EMS 12, Lt.
Rick Cozmar, (District EMS Officer) Columbus Medic 6 (S.Benjamin FF/IC) and
mutual aid Rescue and Batt. 111 from the City of Westerville. Columbus
Fire Safety Officer (SO2) Capt Murphy also responded. Lt Cozmar acted as the
runs incident commander.
In addition Columbus Police Patrol, Freeway, and Mounted units were critical
to the successful outcome. The accident caused Columbus Police to
temporarily close down two westbound lanes of traffic on I-270 in north
Columbus.
After arriving on the scene, a call was made for an emergency response for a
veterinarian to respond to the incident and bring drugs to sedate the horse.
After Laddy was sedated, Columbus and Westerville firefighters, with the help
of a veterinarian, Dr. Beard, and students from The Ohio State University
College of Veterinary Medicine, freed the horse from the trailer.
Laddy’s owner, Jon Kane of Columbus, and his 4-year-old daughter Alexis were
taking the horse to a farm in Marysville, Ohio for his daughter to ride. Kane
says he thought a bee or wasp must have stung the horse, because he "usually trailers well."
Fortunately, the horse was left with only a few scratches. “When most of our
runs involve traumas and injuries to people, it’s a nice change to be able to
help this animal and the people involved escape without harm,” said Columbus
Fire Lt. Rick Cosmar.
The horse was transported in a Columbus Police Mounted unit horse trailer to
the Equine Center at Ohio State University. The horse was given a clean bill
of health and was treated and released later that day.
