For the Reporter
Firefighters and police officers often work together to save lives on roadways.
On Sept. 18 this scenario was repeated, but with one major difference: the patient in need of rescue was not a human, but a feline. A tiny, tiger-striped kitten was lying in the roadway, injured and unable to move.
Valley Regional Fire Authority firefighters were returning from a training exercise when they spotted the kitten in a turn lane on a busy roadway in Auburn. Capt. Kevin Morehart and Firefighters Megan Louden and Daris Conrad circled back with the fire engine and safely positioned it to block the traffic. Conrad then scooped up the kitten and the crew quickly transported him to Auburn Veterinary Hospital for treatment.
Little did they know their “patient” would be visiting them back at Fire Station 31 in a few short weeks.
After he was treated and stabilized at the hospital, the kitten was taken to the Auburn Valley Humane Society for mending, recovery, neutering and eventually adoption.
One Saturday in October, Auburn Police Det. Aaron Williams and his family visited the humane society looking for a kitten to add to their household. They chose the gray bundle of fur that had previously been rescued by firefighters. He would later be named Loki, after the Norse God of Mischief and from the Indo-European root “leug,” meaning “to break.” A family friend suggested Speed Bump as a middle name, and thus the kitten became Loki Speed Bump Williams.
After learning about the kitten’s story, the family brought him back to meet the firefighters who had rescued him. The Williams children presented firefighters with pictures they had drawn to thank them and took a few photos at the fire station.
“It was great to see the kitten recovered and happy with his new family,” Conrad said. “We were hoping for the best, but didn’t think we would ever hear the outcome.”
Loki’s injuries appeared to have healed completely, and he has fit right in at the Williams household. He spends most of his days either chasing the kids or being carried around by them. The Williams family is grateful to everyone involved in Loki’s rescue and rehabilitation.
“Our family is thankful that the VRFA firefighters took the time to stop and help Loki, thankful that the Auburn Veterinary Hospital was generous enough to fix Loki’s broken foot and grateful to the Auburn Valley Humane Society for caring for Loki and making the adoption process easy and enjoyable,” Aaron Williams said.
