Firefighter uses lifesaving skills to rescue fawn

Historic City News learned that, during shift change yesterday morning, St Johns County firefighters at the Sampson fire station had the opportunity to use their skills as lifesavers to protect a scared fawn that was in jeopardy of being struck by a vehicle as it lay alongside CR-210.

A citizen, walking along CR-210 West, spotted the young deer and reported it to Captain Robbie McQuaig and Engineer Jerod Burghart at Station 17.

“A mother deer will put their baby down and go off to feed,” said Burghart, who is an avid outdoorsman. “She will return for the baby.”

Burghart and McQuaig checked the deer for injuries and found none; however, the fawn would not move on its own — normal behavior for a small deer that is not with its mother.

Fearing the fawn was in danger of being struck by a passing car; Burghart picked up the fawn in his arms and moved it to a safer location.

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