‘Set aside your ego and call 911’: Three rescued after being ejected from raft
FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Parks and Wildlife says on July 24, three rafters on the Arkansas River near Canon City overturned, causing all to be ejected.
CPW says all three were wearing life jackets and were able to climb back into their raft, but they had lost an oar and were unable to make it to shore.
The group decided to drop an anchor due to an approaching rapid, but the anchor got stuck in the rocks, causing the back of the boat to submerge into the water, says CPW.
One boater was ejected from the boat again, and the remaining oar was lost, says the group.
The ejected individual swam to the south side of the river while the remaining two were stranded on the boat and hesitant to swim due to the rapid current, so the group used satellite texting to call 911.
Jeff Hammond, AHRA park ranger and swiftwater rescue instructor, responded, joining first responders on-scene from the Tallahassee Fire Protection District, Colorado State Patrol, and Fremont County Sheriff's Office, according to officials.
CPW says they found one person on shore and two others in a raft anchored approximately 20 feet from the south bank of the river, immediately above the rapid.
Hammond and the firefighters say they rigged a line to the rear of the craft, released the anchor, and swung the vessel to shore above the rapid, safely bringing the remaining two boaters to shore.
Those rescued included two first responders and an EMT who were recreating in the area from out of town, says CPW.
“We felt safe, taken care of, and respected throughout the rescue, which is meaningful considering we weren’t trained for boating in fast water,” said the rescued EMT. “We wanted to take a nice fishing trip; it was fine until the current sent us sideways into a huge rock. Our life vests literally saved our lives. The water wasn’t two or three feet, as we had just been in, it was 15 feet deep, and we all struggled to get to the top; it was scary.
According to CPW, the incident shows the importance of always wearing a lifejacket in whitewater and knowing your limits.
“This type of thing doesn’t happen to everyone else, it can happen to you, and it happens fast,” said the rescued EMT. “My recommendation: think before you go into any body of water and wear your life vest - it will save your life. Most importantly, set aside your ego and call 911 if you get in a bind; first responders just want you safe. I’ll always think of [our rescuers] and smile. I thank them all for saving our lives.”
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