Man falls through ice while fishing
Posted: Sunday, March 23, 2008
DENISON, Iowa -- Denison authorities pulled a man from an iced lake Friday at Yellow Smoke Park.
The unidentified man was taken to a local hospital before being flown by helicopter to an Omaha hospital, said Mike McKinnon, Denison fire chief. McKinnon said he did not know the man's condition Saturday.
The Denison Fire Department was called to Yellow Smoke Park at 5:30 p.m. after reports of a vehicle in the lake, which was later found to be a person.
The man had been ice fishing when the ice cracked, McKinnon said. Witnesses stated that the man may have been in the water for more than 30 minutes before authorities were called, McKinnon said.
The man was found conscious holding on to the ice and was rescued about 300 feet from the shoreline.
"The gentleman fishing did everything right in having all of the necessary safety equipment in order to keep himself afloat," McKinnon said in a news release. "He did not panic and did everything he needed to do to keep himself alive."
Assisting the fire department were the Crawford County Ambulance, Crawford County Sheriff's office and Denison Police Department.
Four Denison firefighters were taken to the Crawford County hospital for mild hyperthermia and frostbite but were released Friday.
-- Travis Coleman
The unidentified man was taken to a local hospital before being flown by helicopter to an Omaha hospital, said Mike McKinnon, Denison fire chief. McKinnon said he did not know the man's condition Saturday.
The Denison Fire Department was called to Yellow Smoke Park at 5:30 p.m. after reports of a vehicle in the lake, which was later found to be a person.
The man had been ice fishing when the ice cracked, McKinnon said. Witnesses stated that the man may have been in the water for more than 30 minutes before authorities were called, McKinnon said.
The man was found conscious holding on to the ice and was rescued about 300 feet from the shoreline.
"The gentleman fishing did everything right in having all of the necessary safety equipment in order to keep himself afloat," McKinnon said in a news release. "He did not panic and did everything he needed to do to keep himself alive."
Assisting the fire department were the Crawford County Ambulance, Crawford County Sheriff's office and Denison Police Department.
Four Denison firefighters were taken to the Crawford County hospital for mild hyperthermia and frostbite but were released Friday.
-- Travis Coleman
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Tim H wrote on Mar 24, 2008 2:07 PM:
Except to have enough smarts to not go out onto ANY ice after all the warm weather we had... pretty dumb thing to do and not only did he risk his own life going out onto thin ice but risked the lives of the rescuers too.
Just a little common sense goes a long long ways.
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