Hero of the Week: Firefighter Colter Mirtes Saves Cat Frozen to a Tree

This week's hero story is one you may rarely hear! A cat escaped a home, climbed a tree in winter in Maine, and it's tail froze to a tree branch. It took a fireman to climb the tree to free the cat in the bitter cold.

(Photo: Cat rescued from tree in Lincoln by Firefighter Colter Mirtes.  SOURCE: Lincoln Fire Department) 

Cat frozen to a tree in Maine Saved by Firefighters

WMTW-TV Dec 18, 2025, Adam Bartow

LINCOLN, Maine — A cat in the town of Lincoln is safe after spending about two days stuck high in a tree.

Firefighters say Lucy, an indoor cat, escaped last weekend and got stuck about 95 feet up in a tree. Firefighter Colter Mirtes, who is just off his probationary period, was able to get up the tree and found Lucy's tail was actually frozen to a branch.

(Photo: Colter Mirtes, Credit: Lincoln Maine, Fire Department) 

Mirtes freed Lucy from the branch and brought her back to the ground. He says she was excited to return home.

On September 30, 2025, Colter Mirtes was one of four Probatinary Firefighters that became Pro-Boad certified firefighters. The others include: Carson Munson, Geroge Church and Jeremy Freier.

"We can’t promise that we’ll be able to help in these situations, but we’re always willing to take a look and help out, provided we can do so without damaging our equipment or your property. Lucy may be down to 8 lives - but if cats had thumbs, I’m sure Colter would have 1 more Christmas card on the way this year," the fire department wrote.