Wellesley firefighters made a dramatic rescue from the icy waters of Lake Waban on Sunday, Jan. 12. At 4:44pm, a 911 call was received for a dog that fell through the thin ice. The owner, trying to rescue “Tommy” the dog, also fell through. Both Tommy and his human were well offshore and unable to make it back on their own.

When rescuers arrived, they first crawled carefully across the ice to reach the human victim, who was able to assist in his own rescue, walking out of the lake as he got close to shore. The victim was treated by Coastal Paramedics and transported to Newton Wellesley Hospital.

Lake Waban, Wellesley, dog and human ice rescue — Rescue crews help a man who fell through the ice at Lake Waban

Next, the firefighters went back into the water to save the dog, who showed great spirit as he remained afloat in the cold water. Tommy never stopped barking, letting everyone know his position, and cooperated with the team as they brought him to shore. Tommy was transported via police cruiser to a local vet clinic and treated for hypothermia

The whole scary scene was caught on a Wellesley Police Department drone video.

The call came in at a super tricky time of night for this kind of rescue. The sun had set at 4:35 Sunday evening, nine minutes before the 911 call came in. Crews started the rescue operation in waning daylight. As the 6-minute video rolls, you can see the light fading fast. By the time rescuers and Tommy get to shore, it’s dark, and waiting emergency personnel are shining flashlights on the scene.

Given the conditions, this was an accident that could easily have ended in tragedy, and should serve as a warning to us all. Wellesley Fire Chief Steve Mortarelli, relieved that all ended well with everyone safe, said the biggest takeaway is for people to keep their pets on leashes when near water.