Above / The Naperville Fire Department responded to overturned kayaks. Rescuers would like to remind kayakers of the dangers of high, rushing waters that could overturn small watercraft. Always wear a PFD and a helmet while kayaking. No injuries reported. (PN file photos are used to help flag reports about Naperville Fire Department and Police Department responses to emergency calls, always reminding readers that keeping the community safe is everyone’s responsibility. Thanks for calling 911 whenever seeing something suspicious. Be alert by day and by night. Stay safe.)
At at 1:17PM today, Naperville’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) received a 911 call for two men that were kayaking in the DuPage River and both kayaks had overturned, and they needed assistance.
A Special Rescue Response was dispatched. A special rescue consists of 1 engine, 1 squad, 1 truck, 2 medics, 2 battalion chiefs and the water rescue vehicle for a total of 18 personnel.
At 1:23PM, Squad 8 and Engine 2 arrived on scene and verified both men were accounted for and not injured. One man made it to the west shore of the river, and one was stranded on an island north of Hobson Rd. Incident Command and Safety was established at Pioneer Park.
Swift Water Rescue Technicians from the Naperville Fire Department set up for a “live bait” rescue downstream for the man stranded on the island. This was done because it was not safe for the victim to swim to shore due to the heavy current. He also lost his personal flotation device (PFD) when is kayak overturned.
There were no other patients and no injuries to firefighters or kayakers. A MABAS Dive Box was also requested at the time of the initial 911 call and was quickly returned.
The Naperville Fire Department would like to remind kayakers of the dangers of the DuPage River and to wear a PFD and a helmet while kayaking. The Naperville Fire Department was assisted on the scene by the Naperville Police Department and the Naperville Park District Police.
Report submitted by Scott Salela, EMT-P, CFO, Division Chief-Support Services, for the Naperville Fire Department.
What is MABAS? According to Firefighter Now, MABAS is an acronym that stands for the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, a mutual aid response system for specialized incident operational teams, EMS, and fire departments. Through MABAS, Illinois and other states have access to specialized teams and resources.
