KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety says a fisherman is expected to make a full recovery after falling into a lake in Kalamazoo. Officials say officers were dispatched to the scene on Wednesday around 11:39 A.M. near the Willow Creek Apartments and the intersection of Parkview Avenue and Greenleaf Boulevard.
Officers arrived to the lake to find the 63-year-old man about 100 yards away from the shore. He was in the water up to his shoulders while holding onto a piece of ice. Due to the unsafe ice, officers weren't able to reach him without specialized equipment. KDPS Squad 6 went to the scene with cold-water rescue gear to safely enter the lake.
EO Tech Aaron DeWaal was able to reach the fisherman, and bring him back to shore with a life preserver around him. Once the two were safely ashore, the fisherman was taken to an ambulance en route to a local hospital.
Following the incident, DeWaal went to visit the fisherman at the hospital to see how he was doing.
KDPS is reminding residents to be mindful of unstable ice conditions. A frozen lake's integrity could change rapidly as temperatures continue to fluctuate in the area.
