Man rescued after falling into icy Lake MonroeBy Laura Lane 331-4362 |
llane@heraldt.comRescuers Friday morning pulled a Bloomington man out of icy Lake Monroe after he fell into the water from a Paynetown Marina boat dock while fishing.
Ronald Davis, 25, was treated for hypothermia at Bloomington Hospital and later released.
According to a news release from Indiana Conservation Officer Angela Goldman, Davis was breaking the skim of ice off the water with his boot so he could fish off the dock when he lost his balance. Fred Robinson of Columbus, fishing on the next dock, heard Davis hit the water. When Robinson got to where Davis went into the water, he was holding onto the docks attempting to make his way to shore, about 150 feet away.
Robinson went to his truck to get a rope and to call 911. He was able to slip the rope under Davis’ arms, but was unable to pull him up onto the dock. Conservation officers and reservoir staff then arrived and pulled Davis to safety.
Goldman said that by the time officers arrived, Davis — in the water about 20 minutes — was no longer able to use his legs or arms due to the cold water.
“Now is the time for everyone to be reminded of the dangers of cold water,” Goldman said in the news release. “If you are going to be near the water during the winter, you always need to be prepared to go in.” She suggested wearing a life jacket, always having a buddy with you and wearing a whistle or other sound making device to get someone’s attention should you fall into the water.
Copyright: HeraldTimesOnline.com 2009
