MEDIC UNIT RESPONDS TO DROWNING AT LAKE LARIAT
 
By Member
July 6, 2021
 

At approximately 1130 on Tuesday morning units from Solomons VFD, CALS, St-Leonard and the Dive Team were alerted for a reported missing swimmer in Lake Lariat. Chief10 arrived on scene first and established command and met with the victims wife to establish a "point last seen". Several bystanders on scene assisted with a shallow water "hasty" search along the beach looking for the victim. As more volunteers arrived, 2 zodiacs (Co.3, Co.7) and multiple swimmers entered the water in an attempt to rapidly locate the victim. Chief3A (T. Yowell) arrived on scene and transitioned command from Chief10 who was assigned "Operations". Chief3A, requested a rehab unit for the potential of a long duration incident as well as MSP aviation for an aerial view of the entire lake. Crews began a grid search from the "point last seen" and within several minutes a career EMT swimmer (K. Smith) noticed a submerged object and called out. A Career EMT(J. Watson) who was standing on the pier saw the object and immediately dove in, surfacing with the victim. Several providers assisted with removing the victim from the water and immediately starting CPR on the beach. The patient was rapidly moved up the steep grassy embankment to an awaiting ambulance where EMS 20 (J. Ford) assumed patient care with Chief 10. After approx 20 minutes of resuscitation the patient regained a pulse and was transferred to the CRE airport to be medevac to a specialty center.

 
Units: Squad3, Chief 3A, Zodiac 3, A239, A37, Chief10, EMS20, Zodiac 7, Rehab 7, Dive Team, Chief12A, CCSO Patrol, CCSO SOT Divers, MSP Aviation, CRE Security.