12 Tennesseans owe their lives to emergency crews who braved the odds to rescue them from sinking boats after the terrible winter storm forced a dock to crush.
Many Americans continue to feel the effects of the winter storm, which continues to ravage many states. The storm is leaving a trail of destruction in its wake and could have ended the lives of 12 Tennesseans were it not for brave emergency crews.
Last week, crews of the Nashville Fire Department (NFD) and the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) responded to a distress call and rushed to the scene of a boating dock collapse.
Seawater splashed on rocks on the shore. | Photo: Pexels
The distress call was about a water structure collapse that left multiple people trapped on Old Hickory Lake. The weight of the snow from the winter storm caused at least two docks to collapse.
The crews arrived at the scene, 2001 Riverside Road, at about 8:30 pm. They found that the collapsed dock, which measured about 100 yards, was in the water and could not be accessed by responders by foot. The crews immediately activated a water rescue.
They launched three boats, NFD Boat 22, NFD Boar 36, and OEM's Rescue Boat and divers. They found 12 people in several sinking boats and transferred them from the damaged boats to a rescue boat.
After the crews rescued all 12 victims, they transferred them to safety aided by a boat from Hendersonville Fire Department. They transported all victims to the shore, where they were examined by medical crews.
A distressed kayaker had priests to thank for saving his life after his kayak capsized on Lake George.
A man standing on the rock near an ocean | Photo: Pexels
None of the victims were injured, and none of them had to be taken to the hospital for further checks. All the rescued persons were identified and have been accounted for.
After the rescue operation, crews scouted the dock to be certain no other person was present or trapped and searched two other unstable docks. However, they found no one.
Coast guard searching in the sea | Source: Pixabay
At the time of the rescue, there was still uncertainty about the number of boats damaged by the collapse, though the U.S. Coast Guard visited the scene later to investigate the incident.
Winter frozen pond | Source: Pixabay
They recommended that the boaters stay out of the water until weather conditions improve. The NFD noted that accidents like this are risky for the victims and the crews carrying out rescue operations.
The boat rescue adds to the numerous boat rescue experiences. Last September, a distressed kayaker had priests to thank for saving his life after his kayak capsized on Lake George.
The picture of a serene looking river: Photo: Pixabay
Despite the kayaker's attempts to overturn the boat, he could not and became exhausted and was drowning. He prayed for assistance, which arrived in the form of priests and seminarians from a missionary society, the Paulist Fathers, who rescued him.
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