Milford Firefighters Rescue 11-Year-Old Girl From Icy Water

MILFORD (CBS) - Firefighters in Milford rescued an 11-year-old girl who fell through the ice on Friday. The girl was up to her neck in the icy water of Louisa Lake, about 50 feet from shore.

A firefighter in a survival suit waded into the water to save her before other members of the crew pulled them both to safety.

"For this scenario that happened today we train for it every year," said firefighter Brendan Keefe, "and it just happened to be textbook and just went super smoothly, and just a great outcome."

The girl was with her brother and cousin when she walked onto the ice, which quickly gave way. She was in the water for about five minutes before a passerby spotted her. She was taken to the hospital to be checked out and should be OK.

Keefe was the firefighter tasked with getting into the frigid water. He was expecting to find an adult.

"It was only until I got out there, that's when I realized it was a little girl," Keefe said.

Keefe has been with the department for five and half years and this was his first real ice rescue.

"This is my first one, first rescue," Keefe said. "Luckily it was a good turnout."

The fire department is very familiar with the lake, because it is where they practice their ice rescues.