Memo to children — and adults for that matter — everywhere: Don't try to emulate Flick from "A Christmas Story." Ever. Your tongue will get stuck to a metal pole when the temperature is -2.
Boise fire officials were able to help a boy whose tongue was stuck to a metal fence pole outside the Fairmont pool near the corner of Milwaukee and Northview streets Tuesday morning. Firefighters didn't ask him his age but said he was probably 10.
The boy is OK, Boise Fire Capt. Bill Tinsley said Tuesday morning. The boy's tongue was bleeding a little bit but there was no visible tearing, Tinsley said.
"I've been doing this 20 some years and this is the first (tongue frozen to pole call) I've had," Tinsley said. "Poor guy."
A woman driving by the pool saw the boy standing there, figured out what was going on, and called 911 a short time after 8 a.m.
When Boise firefighters arrived, they found the boy standing by the 8 foot tall chain link fence with his tongue stuck to the fence pole, Tinsley said.
Firefighters brought a glass of warm water with them and poured it on the pole, and the boy's tongue came unstuck almost immediately, Tinsley said.
Tinsley said there were no other kids around when firefighters arrived. The boy didn't say much, and once they determined he was OK, firefighters let him walk to school.