Mansfield first responders were training for rescues in fast-moving water Sunday in Tolland County.
This was just a drill, but you can imagine in a real water emergency, seconds count. Rescue workers have to react with urgency and unity.
Tolland County Dive Team commander Norman Meikle has been all over the state for various crisis scenarios. He has been there when teams saved the day and when the outcome has been grim.
“Every summer I’d say we get about six or seven calls for kayaks and canoes,” Meikle said.
This exercise was planned months ago, but in an unfortunate coincidence, just this weekend two people in a canoe found trouble in Long Island Sound near Milford. In windy, choppy conditions a woman was rescued but a 24-year-old man from New Jersey didn’t make it. Given that, everyone participating in Sunday’s drill knows the stakes are high.
Especially after heavy rain, people in kayaks and canoes can quickly get in over their heads as water can be moving faster than expected.
“Kayaks are unstable. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you shouldn’t be in one,” Meilke said.
For Sunday’s drill, they staged an incident at the Eagleville dam with a kayaker in the water.
The responders in the raft move in to rescue the victim in distress. The design of the team’s newly purchased raft makes a rescue easier because a person can be pulled in through a gap instead of over the sides.
If you or a loved one are into kayaking or canoeing, a few reminders from Meilke:
“Always wear a vest. That’s mandatory in Connecticut. Don’t attempt a rescue. Stay with your vessel. We recommend you carry a cell phone or, there’s so many people on the river banks and the shore, get their attention. Have a whistle attached to your vest, scream and yell and just wait for the rescue personnel.”