KANATA — A routine afternoon of fishing turned into a swift rescue on Sunday when Ottawa Fire Services freed a 27‑year‑old woman who had become trapped in mud at Rebecca Pond in the South March Highlands Conservation Forest.
Call came in around 3 p.m.; crews used cellphone data to find her
Fire crews say they received a 911 call at about 3 p.m. reporting that a woman had fallen into the pond while fishing from a plastic culvert. The caller — identified in Ottawa Fire Services’ social media post as the woman’s father — reported she had lost her balance and became stuck waist‑deep in the mud, sinking deeper each time she tried to move.
“She became stuck waist‑deep in the mud and sank deeper each time she attempted to move,”
Using the caller’s cellphone location data, firefighters were able to pinpoint the woman’s position on the trail system and meet the father at the trail entrance before proceeding on foot to the scene.
Rescue technique and patient assessment
Ottawa firefighters confirmed the woman’s left leg was trapped in the mud up to her hip and described the suction as holding her tightly. To stabilise her, crews used a pike pole while carefully digging around the trapped limb until they could release it.
The woman was freed and back on the boardwalk about 15 minutes after the 911 call. Paramedics assessed her at the scene and reported no injuries. Fire crews rinsed her off at the fire truck using a hose.
Local implications and safety reminders
The rescue underscores both the hazards present in Ottawa’s conservation areas and the value of carrying a cellphone with location services enabled when visiting trails and waterways. South March Highlands is a popular area for anglers, hikers and families from Kanata and surrounding communities; its boardwalks and culverts can become slippery and unstable, particularly where soft shoreline and mud are present.
- Carry a charged cellphone and enable location services so responders can find you quickly.
- Avoid fishing from unstable surfaces such as plastic culverts or soft shorelines where footing is uncertain.
- Do not try to free someone stuck in deep mud alone — it can worsen entrapment and put more people at risk.
- Notify others of your route and estimated return time when heading into conservation areas.
Emergency crews’ quick access to cellphone location data and their decision to meet the caller at the trailhead limited the time responders spent locating the victim in the forested trail network. The extraction technique — stabilising with a pike pole and carefully excavating the trapped limb — allowed crews to free the woman without further injury.
Timeline of the incident
| Time (approx.) | Event |
|---|---|
| ~3:00 p.m. | 911 call received reporting a 27‑year‑old woman trapped in Rebecca Pond |
| Shortly after | Firefighters used caller's cellphone location to find her on the trail |
| ~15 minutes after call | Woman freed and back on boardwalk; assessed by paramedics; no injuries |
As Ottawa residents enjoy the city’s green spaces this summer, the incident at Rebecca Pond is a reminder that even familiar recreational areas can present hidden dangers. Conservation forest users and local authorities alike say awareness, preparedness and simple safety practices can reduce the need for emergency interventions that place both visitors and first responders at risk.
