GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Grand River is a fishing hot spot and kayaking is becoming more popular. The river has its dangers and every year people get into trouble on the water and need the help of the Grand Rapids River Rescue Team.
On Thursday afternoon, the Bridge Street Fire Department River Rescue team was out on the river practicing their most dangerous scenario...a dam rescue.
The waters around the fishladder dam churn rapidly and can pull people and boats into the tumbling cycle. A few people have died in the waters near the dam because they were unable to swim out of the strong current.
Talking about the area, Lieutenant Dan Vanderhyde from the rescue team explains, “It does different things. It can also shoot someone out. You never know exactly what it's going to do."
A rescue operation at the dam requires the use of two boats, a small zodiac boat goes straight into the dam, while a larger boat tethered to it keeps it from being pulled into the undertow of the dam. Coordinating two boats during a rescue is a technical challenge for the team.
The dam scenario is the department's most common river rescue call. Lt. Vanderhyde estimates that they get 20 to 30 rescue calls in fishladder dam area alone, but that all areas of the river are dangerous. "Any of these rescues in this river are dangerous.”
