‘Like Charlie’s Angels showed up’: Geneva police rescue ducklings from storm sewer

Russ Roschman: ‘This act of kindness is just as important as catching bank robbers, at least to the community they serve’

Russ Roschman was taking his Australian shepherd, Oakley, out for her last tinkle before bed when he saw a female mallard duck running in circles and quacking frantically.

The commotion was just across the street from his house in the 600 block of Cannon Drive in Geneva, where a stormwater grate was set into the gutter.

“When she stopped, I could hear, ‘Cheep, cheep, cheep,’ coming from the storm drain, Roschman said.

“I took Oakley in, got a flashlight and shined it into the storm drain. And swimming around the water in the drain were five baby duckies,” Roschman said. “I think she was leading her duckies to the pond behind our house … They fell through the holes in the grate, they were that small. They were trapped in that little area just underneath the grate, probably about seven feet below.”

It was 10:15 p.m. Thursday, May 8, and the night temperature was recorded at about 46 degrees.

“It was cold that night,” Roschman said.

He called the nonemergency number for the Geneva police and the desk clerk forwarded him to the 911 dispatcher.

“Within three minutes, three squads arrived — all manned by women,” Roschman said. “It was like Charlie’s Angels showed up.”

Officers Kaley Smith, Erica Bolger and Megan Solner responded. They got special hooks out of their squad cars and used them to muscle the grate off, he said.

“Then we ran into a snag,” Roschman said. “The tallest officer lowered herself in there headfirst, but she could not reach them. So there was talk about who’s got the net — but it was back at the station.”

Roschman said he remembered that his neighbor — who preferred to remain nameless for his role in the rescue — had fishing nets.

The neighbor provided a net and the officers brought up two baby ducks with the first scoop and three baby ducks with the second scoop.

“I ran and got a cardboard box and put some old towels in it,” Roschman said. “The officers put the duckies in the box. One said she was going to go to her patrol car and warm them up first. It was cold and they were wet and shivering.”

Roschman said he went home to bed after that.

In an email, Sgt. Brad Jerdee wrote that the mother duck rejected three of the ducklings, so they were given to a wildlife center to be cared for.

In an email to Police Chief Eric Passarelli, Roschman praised and thanked all who participated — from the desk person who first answered the phone, to Tri-Com Dispatcher Oliwia Bednarski, and to the responding officers.

“I know that perhaps this isn’t what they had in mind when they trained at the academy, but these officers represent to me what ‘community engagement’ is all about,” Roschman wrote. “This act of kindness is just as important as catching bank robbers, at least to the community they serve.”

Passarelli responded that his praise was greatly appreciated.

“I am so happy to hear that everyone you interacted with from the desk, to the 911 dispatcher, to our officers were professional and compassionate,” Passarelli wrote. “With the difficult calls for service they regularly handle, a call like this where they get to help a helpless baby duck and mama, is a feel good for everyone involved.”