COMBINED LOCKS — The Kaukauna Fire Department and Kaukauna Utilities were two of multiple agencies to respond today to a report of a snowmobile that may have gone though the ice of the Fox River.
But what they found was something much less serious.
Combined Locks Fire & Rescue and Buchanan Fire & Rescue were called out about 9:50 a.m. to the area behind 540 Prospect St (McKinley Paper) in the Village of Combined Locks for a report of a snowmobile that went through the ice just west of the hydro-electric dam, almost in the center of the river.
Dispatch indicated that the caller advised that it appeared that the front end of the snowmobile went into the water and it appeared that the rear (track end) was partially out of the water yet, according to a news release from Combined Locks Public Safety.
Fire Chief Ken Wiedenbauer from Combined Locks went directly to the scene from Combined Locks Public Safety’s station while other apparatus from Combined Locks and Buchanan prepared for response with personnel.
When emergency responders arrived, several mill personnel were on site to direct incoming units to the location where they can see the snowmobile and directed Wiedenbauer to that location.
What was seen was approximately 600 feet towards the center of the river, and it did appear to be the back end of a snowmobile which had snow covering it, according to the news release.
Wiedenbauer requested a drone from the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office to the scene, as well as a full water rescue response from the surrounding Fire Departments. This would be standard protocol until the object can be positively identified.
Binoculars were used to attempt to identify the object and ascertain if there was in fact a person next to it, but distance made it difficult to positively identify, as well as the lack of tracks leading up to the object, as there was fresh snow on the very thin ice on the river.
Crews from Combined Locks and Buchanan Fire Departments were on scene with ice-rescue suits ready to deploy. Contact was also made with Kaukauna Utilities crews advising them of the potential situation.
The water rescue response also obtains rescue ice/water rescue boats from Kimberly Fire & Rescue as well as Little Chute Fire Department, and they were in the process of launching to get to the object.
At this point, the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was operating the drone arrived on scene and the drone was deployed to the object.
On closer inspection, it was determined that the object which did resemble the back end of a snowmobile was in fact a log that floated up from the bed of the Fox River and was sticking out at an angle.
Crews were released and went back into service. Calls such as this are a reminder to the communities that we serve, that we have mutual aid agreements in place for exactly these reasons.
Multiple departments come together and pool resources to effect a rescue in a very difficult environment.
Crews did not need to enter the water and there was no body retrieval necessary.
Combined Locks Fire & Rescue was assisted on scene by Town of Buchanan Fire and Rescue, Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office, Kimberly Fire/Rescue, Little Chute Fire Department, City of Kaukauna Fire Department, Kaukauna Utilities, Wisconsin State Patrol and Outagamie County Communications Center – 911.
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