| Pregnant woman, 2 others rescued from Obion River |
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Posted: Thursday, July 5, 2012 9:15 pm
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Three people stranded in inner tubes in Weakley County on the Obion River were rescued late Wednesday by the Weakley County Rescue Squad.
The three people, including Candice Kirby of Dresden, were rescued north of Hazlewood Road outside Martin. The other names were not available as of today.
Obion County Rescue Squad Capt. Teddy Willcutt told The Messenger today five members of the local rescue squad responded to the Obion River off Highway 431, just east of Union City. Also on the scene was a deputy sheriff with the Obion County Sheriff’s Department.
“We couldn’t get boats in the water; it was too low,” Willcutt said today.
Instead, the sheriff’s deputy and rescue squad members had to walk along the banks calling out in an effort to find the three victims, one of whom was reportedly a pregnant woman.
Ms. Kirby reportedly called in to 911 to report she and two others were stranded on the river shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday.
The local sheriff’s deputy remained on the scene for about an hour, while the rescue squad group spent nearly four hours searching for the three victims.
Meanwhile, over in Weakley County, a team of rescuers joined the search.
Three members of the Weakley County Rescue Squad were joined by a Weakley County sheriff’s deputy, two civilians and Weakley County Emergency Management Agency director Jamison Peevyhouse. The Weakley County team responded to the call as the sun was setting Wednesday, according to sources in Weakley County.
The group of emergency responders from Weakley County used two Polaris vehicles to get down and into the river and the rescue from the water was made on foot.
The three victims were taken back to their vehicles about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, and all were reportedly uninjured.
“The rescue went really well. It was pretty much textbook,” Peevyhouse said today. “We went up and down the river and, because there was such a broad range of where they were located, we relied on sound to guide us to their location.”
No other major incidents were reported in Obion County related to the Fourth of July holiday. Published in The Messenger 7.5.12 |
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