KINGSTON — A Golden Retriever was the inspiration behind a group of firefighters’ impromptu rescue drill Tuesday afternoon along the shores of Gamble Bay.

The firefighters were able to aid the distressed dog, which had become stuck after tumbling halfway down a 45-foot cliff, without compromising readiness to respond to other incidents or putting firefighters at risk, North Kitsap Fire & Rescue spokeswoman Michele Laboda reported.

NKF&R crews were notified of the problem shortly before 5 p.m. March 26. A contractor had witnessed the dog’s fall and contacted his client who, in turned, called NKF&R. The chief officer on duty, Battalion Chief Ken LeMay, investigated to see if crews would be able to assist.

Fire departments must often decline requests to participate in animal rescues because, in many cases, the operations pose too great a risk to firefighters and/or threaten crews’ ability to respond quickly to higher priority incidents such as fires, car crashes and critical medical calls. In this case, LeMay determined that the rescue could be accomplished quickly and safely.

Firefighters carried a 24-foot ladder down an adjacent stairway to the beach, and placed the device against the bank to reach the dog. After encircling the frightened but uninjured animal with a safety line, firefighters found that he was unwilling to leave the relative security of the ledge. They called for a strong and flexible sheet that’s typically used to move larger patients during medical incidents, and secured the dog within. A firefighter placed the 120-pound canine bundle between his body and the ladder, slowly sliding the dog downward as he descended.

Once they unpackaged the dog on the beach, firefighters got a “thank you” in the form of an invitation to play: the 10-year-old named Watson immediately picked up a stick and threw it at their feet. Watson’s human family, initially not on scene, had arrived by this time and expressed their gratitude more clearly.

“We were glad we could help,” LeMay said. “And get a little training in at the same time.”

LeMay said that his crews got the opportunity to engage in creative problem solving that left them better prepared for the next event.

“Unfortunately, we can’t always do what we did here today,” he said. “But when we can, it helps us stay sharp for rescues with even higher stakes.”