NBC 6 (Florida) 21 September 05 Same Snake Rescued Twice During Hurricane Rita - Firefighters Say Snake Rescue Was Unusual Call
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.: Broward County firefighters said that of all the calls to which they responded during Hurricane Rita, that of a woman who found a snake on her roof was the most unusual.
We were driving down 42nd Avenue and someone flagged us down and said there was a snake in their yard," firefighter Mario Catala said.
Ruthie McDonald said the snake was not in her yard, but on the roof of her house.
"I said, 'Oh my God, on my house?" McDonald said.
Catala explained that the Australian red-tailed boa got out of its cage at Caylyce Featherstone's house and slithered three houses down the block.
"Honest to God, I don't know (how I lost the snake). Someone must have messed with the cage for her to have gotten out," Featherstone said.
The 5-foot long snake did not like all the attention, because after being rescued once, she slithered away again, this time snaking her way into the engine of a fire truck.
Once again, Broward firefighters jumped into action to rescue the snake, which was not going home easily.
"We had a seizure earlier. We had lots of car accidents, but this is unusual, quite unusual," said Lt. Robert Melendez, of Broward Fire Rescue.
http://www.nbc6.net/news/4999552/detail.html?rss=ami&psp=news
SUN-SENTINEL (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) 21 September 05 Escaped boa captured, reunited with owners
Broward Sheriff's Office firefighters reunited a 5-foot boa constrictor with its owners Tuesday after the snake terrified several West Park residents.
Skittles, the snake, popped up at the northeast corner of Southwest 42nd Avenue and Southwest 28th Street about 5 p.m., Capt. David Erdman said. Screaming residents got the attention of a passing fire rescue crew that caught the boa and brought it back to Station 17 at 2610 SW 40th Avenue, Erdman said.
Skittles was reunited at the station with its owners, who live in the neighborhood, Erdman said. The snake had been missing since Sunday, when it got out of its cage, he said.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-3b_localdig_21sep21,0,1931870.story?coll=sfla-news-broward
MIAMI HERALD (Florida) 21 September 05 For missing boa, that's a wrap (Janette Neuwahl)
Skittles the snake enjoyed his freedom -- while it lasted. But the nearly six-foot Australian Red-Tailed Boa couldn't hide for long.
Just two days after he went missing from his West Park home, neighbors three houses away waved down a firetruck driving by.
The family pointed firefighters to Skittles, who was making his way up the side of their home near Southwest 42nd Avenue and 28th Street, wrapping his body around a window shutter on the family's second floor.
The family was a little hesitant to intervene.
''People are used to seeing garter snakes around here, but a 5-foot-5 boa constrictor -- these people were a little shocked,'' said Capt. David Erdman of Broward Sheriff's Office Fire Rescue.
Moments after they arrived, three firefighters grabbed Skittles and drove the snake back to the Pembroke Park fire station. Skittles' owners heard about the commotion and showed up at the station.
Even at the firehouse, Skittles tried to escape, slithering into the innards of a firetruck, Erdman said. Firefighters had to lift up the front cab to retrieve the snake.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/broward_county/12700501.htm?source=rss&channel=miamiherald_broward_county
