16851_Authority_Aug_2023

20 The Authority | AUGUST 2023 Continued on page 50. Plant Employees Rescue Unexpected Guest It was a sunny, dry Friday morning, April 28, at the Kline’s Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in Allentown, operated by Lehigh County Authority (LCA). However, the weekend weather was expected to be quite wet. Chuck Nonne- maker, Treatment Plant Operator II, started his day as he normally does, his shift beginning at 6:00 in the morning. Chuck recalled, “I had my energy drink, checked our communications blog, then I met with Gary to discuss the day's events.” Plant manager Gary Saunders and Chuck discussed the impending rainstorms and decided to start up the plant’s second climber screen to reduce solids volume in advance of the wet weather. Chuck went out to the climber screens and started up the second unit. While clearing solids from that second unit’s auger he thought he saw what looked like a crocodile tail sticking out of a gooey mass. He quickly threw the auger in reverse, backing up the clump before it hit a section of pipe, which would have been certain death for anything making it to that point. He touched the tail-like object and it moved. It was a surprise to find something had made it to that point alive! Chuck called Gary over to look at what he had discovered. The two slowly and carefully dismantled the bundle of greasy, thick gunk to find a small creature still breathing but looking pitiful. They took it inside where they could further assess the situation. While Chuck started to clean it up, Gary made a phone call to the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, which had previously come to the aid of sick or injured wildlife discovered at the plant, including one sickly hawk and a hawk with a broken wing (see photo on page 51) . Chuck called on colleague Craig Hill, Instrumentation and Telemetry Technician, to help out. Craig jumped in, cleaning the critter, which he immediately thought was a Caiman. “I gently rinsed it in warm water, and then found a cotton swab and used it to remove some of the debris from its mouth,” Craig said. “As a kid I had Caimans, so I thought that is what it was because it was so small. I had handled them, so I was not afraid of it.” It was hard to keep water at a consistent temperature to warm the animal so Craig wrapped it in his jacket. “I was petting it and keeping it warm, and the thing started chirping, and we bonded,” he said. Two times while monitoring the animal it did not seem to be breathing or moving. Chuck and Craig gave it small, exceptionally light chest compressions. After the second set the animal responded, then seemed to stabilize. They continued to monitor and keep it warm while they waited for wildlife experts to arrive. A few hours later in the afternoon, the Pocono Wildlife Center staff arrived with a carrier to transport the animal for their evaluation and care. Chuck and Craig placed some small towels in the carrier and put the animal inside. According to Kathy Uhler, the wildlife center founder, “It seemed to be in overall good health and the plant workers cleaned all of the sewage off of it.” While in the care of the center it “got an antibiotic bath and its mouth cleaned out,” along with some minnows to eat. The center immediately started looking for a proper new home that could provide specialized care. By Susan Sampson, Communications Manager, Lehigh County Authority Chuck Nonnemaker shows the auger where the alligator was found. Clean up with Craig Hill. Cuddles with Craig Hill.