BVFD Responds to Presque Isle Drowning
TYPE:
Water Rescue - Mutual Aid to West Lake
BVFD Divers getting ready
DATE:
Wednesday July 27
LOCATION:
Presque Isle State Park - North Pier
DESCRIPTION:
This evening around 7pm BVFD responded to assist West Lake at the scene of a water rescue on Presque Isle State Park. The incident was taking place off of the North Pier where a man had jumped from a boat to swim and went under the water. BVFD initially responded with two SCUBA divers on Utility 367. A little over an hour later Rescue 368 was requested to the scene for SCUBA bottle refill.
The two BVFD divers initally were taken to the site by a US Customs boat then transfered to a US Coast Guard boat. After making entry they searched for nearly a half hour. They were tehn brough back to the pier for rehab.
Several dive crews, boats and the USCG helicopter out of Detroit searched Lake Erie for six hours. A little before midnight the male swimmer was located by the USCG deceased in approximately 20 feet of water.
This was the second drowning in as many days at Presque Isle. The night before West Lake and multiple other departments and agencies searched Beach 2 for a seven year old boy. He too was found deceased several hours later.
COMMAND:
West Lake Chief 480
USCG Boat BVFD divers were on
DEPTS:
West Lake: Rescue 485, Rescue 488, Utility 487,
Belle Valley: Utility 367, Rescue 368
West Ridge: Rescue 477, Utility 478
Erie: Tower 2, Engine 8, Water Rescue 1, SCUBA Team
Lake City: Water Rescue 579, Boat 578, Utility 566, Ambulance 577, Dive Team
Fuller: Utility 219
East Co: Marine 1 (staffed by Fuller & Fairfield)
Kuhl Hose: Water Rescue 1
Erie Co Sheriff: SCUBA Team
Union City: SCUBA Team
Corry: SCUBA Team
Edinboro: SCUBA Team
Crawford County: SCUBA Team
US Coast Guard: 2 boats, 1 helicopter
UC Customs/Homeland Security: 1 boat
PSP: 1 boat
Border Patrol: 1 boat
K9 Search & Rescue: Search dogs
PHOTOS:
By Rob Hornaman & West Lake FD
Rescues 488 & 368