Late last month, on a cold and snowy evening in central Canada, firefighters at the Steinbach Fire Department received a surprise visit from someone who seemed dead-set on getting their attention — and it's easy to see why.
Peering desperately through the station window was a freezing stray kitten.
Fortunately, the very chilly cat had found the perfect place to get the help she needed.
The firefighters on duty knew they had to answer her call. They welcomed the kitten inside to warm herself after her untold time in the harsh elements.
But then they did so much more.
Given how friendly their unexpected guest behaved toward them despite her ordeal in the frigid outdoors, the firefighters at first believed she was someone's lost pet. So, they put out an appeal on social media in hopes of finding her owner, though no came forward to claim her.
The cat's rescuers then decided to take it upon themselves to get her the care she needed.
They also gave her a name — Ember.
A trip the vet confirmed that Ember, aside from having slightly frostbitten ears, was is overall good health. She received her vaccinations and was later spayed.
After that, the Ember got a much-needed cleaning.
"She had a bath and smells much better than when she showed up at our door," the fire department wrote.
While Ember might seem like a perfect fit for the fire department's station mascot, her rescuers knew she deserved more than what they could provide her.
"Steinbach does not have a full-time fire department so the station is not continuously staffed," the department wrote. "A kitten like Ember needs a lot of love and attention and unfortunately the station can go days without someone being there."
Still, they're certainly not going to boot Ember back out into the cold.
Yesterday, firefighters issued a public announcement — in this case, an "Ember Alert" — seeking an adopter for the kitten they'd saved.
Though their job as first responders typically has them battling blazes, the firefighters of the Steinbach Fire Department took on this new duty without hesitation — helping to keep Ember warm, not just for a night, but, with any luck, for a lifetime.