Seems that South Florida firefighters proudly are carrying on the longstanding tradition of their breed: Rescuing lost, stranded or endangered cats.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue workers, accompanied by a fleet of earth-moving equipment, in June freed a cat that had become trapped in a drainpipe in Aventura -- only a week or two after they had to do something similar for a cat in southwest Miami.

Then last weekend, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue firefighters employed their home renovation skills to cut into the wall of a Lauderdale Lakes home -- and extract a tiny kitten, no more than a week old. The firefighters used a thermal imaging camera and stethoscope to pinpoint the exact location of the mystery meowing, and check any additional trapped siblings.

Makes getting a cat out of a tree look pretty routine.

But all kidding aside; I personally am grateful that rescue workers still are willing to take saving companion animals' lives seriously. Hope I never need to make that 9-1-1 call -- but thanks.

Photo by: Mike Jachles, BSO