By Judy Dionne
Staff Writer

Auburn Fire Chief Bruce Phillips risked his life to save a dog stranded on Lake Massabesic for over four hours on Wednesday, Jan. 5. Phillips was shown on WMUR-TV with a bloody face following the rescue, having fallen through the ice.

Despite fearing forthe firefighters’lives who rescued his dog, Squeeky, from the ice on Lake Massabesic, Dan Busa said he was relieved they rescued his dog. Busa said he didn’t know how he’d have felt if the dog had died on the ice. (Judith Dionne Photo)

“I didn’t know what to expect when I got out on the ice and found the dog,” said Phillips. “He was frightened and cold, but except for that he was fine.”

“In fact I think he’s doing better than he has been for a while since that brisk walk,” said Squeeky’s owner Dan Busa, with a laugh.

The only one hurt in the operation was Phillips. He said the dog was about an eighth of a mile out on the lake when he and his team of volunteer firefighters found him.

“We knew some of the spots on the ice were thin, so when we heard it cracking we laid down to form a chain across the ice, to displace our weight. I was the only one who fell through,” said Phillips, who was hurt in the break-through. “I hit my face on the ice as I went in the water, but I’m fine. It was only minor scrapes.”

“I was so worried about Bruce,” said Busa’s wife, Marjie. “If anything serious would have happened to any of the firefighters I would have felt awful.”

“I was relieved they risked their lives for him though,” added Dan Busa. “I don’t know what I would have done had he died out there.”

Busa also said that his son lives on the other side of the lake and said that if Squeeky had died out there, he would have moved, because he wouldn’t have been able to look at the lake every day knowing his dog died out there.

“It’s a mystery how he got out (of the house),” said Busa. “I have no idea how he did it, being blind and deaf. When I put him out, I normally carry him so he doesn’t bump into things.”

What he doesn’t understand, however, is why Squeeky even made the walk.

“Normally, when I let him out he never leaves the blacktop. He’ll weave back and forth from one side of the road to the next and once he feels dirt under his paws, he’ll turn around,” he said.

Busa said he left his home in Auburn that day around noon and returned around 2 p.m. When he got home, he said he went to go get Squeeky to take him out, but the dog was gone.

“We found him when we heard his faint little bark,” said Busa. “My son and I had driven around the neighborhood and lake and decided to walk near the beach off of the fire access road.”

Busa and his son discovered Squeeky barking, out on the ice.

“I went home and got Marjie to listen to see if it was him and decided it had to be Squeeky,” he said. “At that point we didn’t know what to do so we called the police.”

Busa is mystified how the 18-year-old terrier/poodle even made the long trek to the lake from his house without mishap.

“He came back without a scratch. He can’t see what’s in front of him so I’m surprised that while he was walking through the woods he didn’t get scratched or poke an eye on a low-lying branch,” said Busa. “Being so old, and the condition he’s in, he normally doesn’t go far. I’ve spoken to neighbors since the rescue who said they saw him walking near the U-bend in the road. It’s a straight shot to the lake from there, so I see how he made it.”

What impressed Phillips the most about the whole affair was Busa. He said it was terrific that Busa has the forethought not to venture out onto the ice after he realized his dog was out there.

“Most people would think nothing of going out on the ice in the winter to rescue a loved one or a pet,” said Phillips. “Busa did the right thing; he called the police who called us. It’s a good thing he did or we may have had a double rescue on our hands or even a fatality.”

Phillips said his crew of mostly volunteer firefighters train for ice rescues and just this sort of emergency, so saving the dog was routine for them, and all are thankful it turned out as well as it did.