POLICE IMPROVISE IN RESCUE

POLICE, FIRE & MEDICS RESCUE 2

Lorain – Police say a woman was on a double date when she fell off a pier at the end of the old Pellet Terminal site in Lorain. Shortly after the woman went into the water the man she was with jumped in to try and help her – but the cold water was too much for him as well.

Police received the call shortly after 3 a.m. Sunday morning of two people in the water at Hot Waters. Officers quickly responded and found the two inside the water struggling to stay above the water line. The two were later identified as Krystal Reno of Oberlin and Michael Burns of Vermilion.

The Fire Department and the Coast Guard had already been dispatched but were still responding as Officers watched the two in the water. Police Officers, who had no actual water rescue equipment, knew they would have to improvise with the equipment they did have inside of their cars – or the two victims could go under at any moment.

Officers opened their trunks and began pulling equipment out – jumper cables, stop sticks and a dog noose.

Officers were able to get the dog noose around the arm of Reno and then pulled it tight inside her armpit – then held her above water.

Officers then dropped the jumper cables down to Burns and he wrapped them around his arms so they were able to keep him above water.

One of the victim’s friends was able to climb down to a ledge closer to the water and assisted in the rescue.

Captain Jeff Fenn of the Lorain Fire Department said that when Firefighters arrived they lowered a ladder down to the ledge below and then sent a Firefighter down. “The Firefighter was able to assist the male victim up the ladder with minimal assistance; he seemed to be in pretty good shape. The female victim was not able to assist at all so a harness was placed on her.”

Once the harness was on Reno Firefighters and Police Officers hoisted up the ladder to the pier.

Fenn said that with the water temperature being as cold as it was last night and the length of time the victims were in the water – time was certainly of the essence. “It was a great team effort and a great save by Police Officers, LifeCare Medics and our guys.”

LifeCare Paramedics treated both victims and transported them to Community Health Partners. The female victim was later flown to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland.

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