Ok after reading the the stories and responses, I have to say I agree whole heartedly with the fire fighters and their reluctance to rush out to save a deer. Now having been a cop for 30 years we always said that it was tough to get them out of their lazy boy rockers or break up a firehouse meal. However they do a job that I would never want to do. When smoke and fire are coming out of a building and everyone else is running in circles and screaming
along come the fire fighters in their big trucks and put out the fire. They do not ever get paid enough in my book to do it.
In this case while I generally like animals and do not want to see them suffer I am not so sure I want the fire department out their practicing water rescues on them. First of all they are taking a resource that could be needed else where like a real fire or rescue trying to save an animal. Secondly drills and "live exercises" like this can be dangerous too. If I am not mistaken didn't one of the local fire departments lose an officer fairly recently in a under the ice recovery drill. For the record good call on not wanting to do it and kudos for doing it before someone decided to do their imitation of rescue rangers.
Now as for shooting it, I can just see the national media responding to the scene. First question for the Police chief or commander would have been " Chief was the deer armed when your officers gunned it down?" and next would have been "Chief could your officers have gotten the deers family to try to talk him out of this suicide attempt before he committed suicide by cop.
Folks love the lakes, have nothing but respect for firefighters and other agencies involved so lets remember this was a deer. I for one do not want police, fire, or other agencies endangering themselves or using resources that maybe needed elsewhere in a hurry to save a person.
Having had my rant I wish you all a happy New Year and cant wait for ICE OUT and Spring