| On June 9, 2009 at approximately 1353 hours, the LFC was dispatched for Boat 25 to assist Station 53 (Fame) on a Water Rescue at the Brandywine Picnic Park. Callers to the 911 center reported two canoers had gone over the dam and were caught in the hydraulics of the dam. Boat 25, being pulled by Brush 25 (Cressman), MICU 25-1 and 2 and the Rescue Squad (B.McCarthy) all responded simultaneously. Ladder 25 (Mellinger), Chief 25 (Ruoss), 25-30 (Skean), Traffic 25 and Captain 25 also responded a short time later bringing a total of 17 members to the scene.
Upon arrival, command requested that Boat 25 launch from the beach area of the park and proceed north to the dam to assist Boat 53. Any additional manpower from the Rescue were asked to respond to the area of the dam and assist with getting Boat 53 in the water. As the Rescue manpower arrived, Boat 53 had located one of the kayakers and brought him to shore. LFC personnel assisted Fame members in brining the patient on to shore where he was quickly turned over to the EMS staff from Station 55 (Good Fellowship Ambulance Co.) The patient was transported to Chester County Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. When Chief 25 arrived, he was briefed and assigned the role of the Safety Officer at the beach point along with the rescue boats from Kennett, Wagontown and Lionville.
The Boat and Rescue crews assisted with the recovery efforts of the second kayaker for the next 8 hours. Several times during the search, rescuers were pulled from the water due to inclement weather including once for over an hour while a storm possibly producing tornadoes passed through the area. Rescuers and divers returned to the water after each passing of the weather until command terminated the search at approximately 2230 hours.
The next day, members of the search companies from the initial response were dispatched to meet at Station 53 with their boats, water rescue gear and pike poles where they would be briefed for continuing the search of the missing boater. Boat 25 and Boat 24 (Kennett) were assigned to the south division under the direction of South Division Leader, John Weer. Boat 25 was to enter the river at route 926 and head south to route 1. Again, crews spent the day scouring the river, embankments, tributaries and canals in search of the missing boater but to no avail. Command terminated the search efforts at approximately 1600 hours and the rescue crews returned to their respective stations to clean their equipment in preparation of the next call.
The officers and members of the Longwood Fire Company wish to extend their deepest sympathies to the family and friends of those affected by this tragedy. |
