It’s been a busy month for the South Milwaukee Fire Department.
Several business and house fires and now this on Saturday: a call for assistance in rescuing stranded boasters off the Oak Creek Water Treatment Plant. As usual, the SMFD was up to the task.
Here are details from Acting Chief Joe Knitter:
At approx. 1:30 this afternoon, the SMFD received a phone call from the US Coast Guard in Milwaukee requesting assistance in locating and assisting a stranded boater that had lost power and was adrift somewhere off of the OC Water Treatment Plant. In addition, one of the five passengers was suffering from chest pain and was in need of medical assistance. SMFD responded to the SM Yacht Club and deployed the rescue boat, locating the distressed boat approximately 200 yds. from the mouth of the harbor. The ailing boater was removed from the boat, transported to the dock and transferred over to the care of waiting paramedics who treated and transported him to St. Luke’s South Shore. The Coast Guard arrived on scene with their 45 foot rescue boat but, due to its size, they were unable to get close enough to shore to provide any assistance to the stranded boat with the exception of towing it out further into the lake so it would not run aground. SMFD’s boat responded back to the location, secured the stranded boat and successfully towed it into the safety of the SMYC.
