Overview
- An Onondaga County Air1 helicopter on patrol reached the Seneca River about a minute after a 911 report and found a goldendoodle struggling to stay afloat in the middle of the water.
- A crew member edged along the helicopter’s skid, clipped in for safety, guided the pilot into position, and lifted the dog onto the aircraft.
- The dog was flown to the ball fields on Downer Street in Baldwinsville, where firefighters wrapped it in blankets and began warming care.
- The sheriff’s office publicly praised 911 dispatchers, the Air1 flight crew, and Baldwinsville Fire Department personnel for their coordinated response.
- Cold water can trigger hypothermia within minutes, which is why rescuers moved fast to extract the dog by air and start warming immediately on shore.