Heroic Texas firefighter rescues dog submerged in semi-frozen pond

ODESSA, Texas - A local firefighter in Odessa, Texas was captured on video rescuing a helpless dog from a semi-frozen pond.

The footage was taken by Div. Capt. Cody Ritchie, who filmed Odessa Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Larry Norrid with a rope tied around his waist, pulling the poor dog from the freezing pond. 

"You’re OK," Norrid said as he and the dog were pulled to safety. 

The dog, named Suitey, is safe and sound, according to local reports.

Suitey managed to escape from her owner and found herself lost in the freezing cold. 

"It's the satisfaction of the job, that's why everyone in this department does what they do, the satisfaction we get from helping people in a time of need," Norrid told NewsWest9.

Norrid said Suitey was reunited with her owners, who later had her snuggled up by a fireplace. 

The harrowing footage is a stark reminder to watch your pets during winter weather that has devastated much of Texas, causing mass power outages and leaving many without electricity to warm their homes. 

RELATED: ‘Watch your pets’: Man plunges into frozen pool to rescue dog who fell through ice

In Southlake, Texas, roughly 345 miles east of Odessa, one dog owner posted a video to his Facebook page showing him rescuing his dog from a frozen pool.

In the video, Dan Holmes’ unsuspecting pup crashed through the ice covering his backyard pool and got stuck. 

Luckily, Holmes wasn’t far away and was able to come to the beleaguered dog’s rescue.

Southlake, which is located just northwest of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, experienced temperature highs in the mid-20s to low 30s and plummeting low temperatures in the teens and single digits as a major winter storm slammed North Texas and surrounding areas.

The Associated Press and Catherine Park contributed to this story.