Numerous agencies and a good Samaritan worked together to rescue two women whose kayaks capsized in the Rock River, May 25, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office)
WAUPUN, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Numerous agencies and a good Samaritan worked together to rescue two women whose kayaks capsized in the Rock River over the weekend.
Around 7:25 p.m. Saturday, the Fond du Lac County Communications Center received a call from a female who said she and her friend were stuck in the Rock River after capsizing their kayaks. Both women were “stuck in downed timber and unable to rescue themselves due to the swift moving current.”
“In addition to the high river itself, the surrounding terrain was wet, vegetation thick, and mosquitoes even thicker. All of these conditions presented challenges for rescuers,” a news release states.
The dispatcher who took the report determined the caller’s location and sent a sheriff’s sergeant who was in the area of the call to their location. The women were found just north of Highway 49 near Church Road in the township of Waupun.
Waupun’s police and fire departments, along with LifeStar Ambulance, also responded to the scene, as both women were “struggling to stay above the water.”
When the sheriff’s sergeant arrived, he located one of the females, a 40-year-old Beaver Dam woman. A good Samaritan was already in the water trying to keep her above the water line. Using water rescue equipment from his squad car, the sergeant kept both individuals afloat and pulled them to shore.
The Waupun Fire Department “was able to navigate the swift moving water” to reach the other female, a 52-year-old Waupun woman. She was freed from the downed tree and brought to shore, as well.
Neither women were injured and their kayaks were recovered.
We would like to thank the good Samaritan who selflessly stepped in to aid law enforcement in this hazardous incident,” a Facebook post from the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office reads, in part. “This call for service shows what great things can be accomplished when our citizens and emergency services work together.
Authorities say the water rescue equipment used in this incident was donated by community members. Each of the Sheriff’s Office’s patrol fleet vehicles are outfitted with this equipment.
Anyone who is kayaking or boating is encouraged to wear a personal floatation device.
“In this case, kayaking in calmer waters soon turned into a life-threatening situation when they entered a section of the river that was flowing rapidly caused by the recent rains,” the Facebook post says. “Not every lift-threatening situation like this results in such a positive outcome, but we want our residents to know together we stand ready to respond to emergencies like this 24/7/365.”
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