A champion in blue, Officer Cory Radke, jeopardized his own safety to rescue a four-legged companion from a blazing residence.
As his shift drew to a close, Officer Radke bid farewell to his K9 colleague, Lou. He was anticipating a peaceful evening at home, but events did not unfold as he had envisioned. Suddenly, a call came through the radio, and the dispatcher announced 11-71. A structure was ablaze just minutes away.
Officer Radke was the first to arrive at the disastrous site. Flames had already engulfed the rooftop of the structure, endangering to spread throughout the entire premises. Fortunately, the occupants and their children were not present at that moment.
Nevertheless, the residence was not vacant. The two family dogs, Deezel and Norton, were confined within.
Without any gear for protection, Radke forced open the side door to the garage and ventured into the fiery turmoil. He quickly found Deezel, the twelve-year-old female Vizsla. According to the Village of Caledonia Police Department, Deezel was lounging on the couch, completely oblivious to the dire circumstances.
What’s even more peculiar is that Deezel would not abandon her cozy spot on the couch. Radke had to lift the dog and carry her out in his embrace. The whole rescue operation was recorded on his body camera.
“I was just kind of like, ‘Hey, what are you doing here?’ Smoke in the room,” Radke recounted the moment he discovered Deezel. “Come on, let’s get out of here, buddy.”
“Got a dog — I don’t know if there’s another dog,” Radke was heard stating in the body camera footage.
Once Deezel was safely outside, Radke immediately returned to look for the second dog. However, the flames were rapidly advancing. Fiery debris from the ceiling fan in the bathroom posed a threat to the officer. Smoke was pervasive.
“The smoke was starting to affect me,” Radke admitted. “Had to get on out of there and let the true heroes handle it.”
The house sustained significant damage, but remarkably, no one involved in the rescue sustained injuries. The firefighters were able to find Norton, the family’s twelve-year-old Dachshund, hiding beneath a bed.
Not a scratch was inflicted on their furry bodies.
Even though Lou, the K9 partner, did not partake in the rescue, he played an essential role. Once the situation calmed, Lou was present to offer emotional support to Officer Radke.
Being such a faithful friend to animals made Officer Radke a genuine hero, the one who leaps through flames to assist those in distress.