(9-2-18) The Watervliet Fire Department, the North Berrien Fire Department  and the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Marine Division all launched water rescue vessels into the Paw Paw River.

During a search for the two initial tubers, the rescue personnel came into contact with three unrelated kayakers and tubers, who needed to be rescued, due to the fact they fell out of their kayak or inner tubes.

During the search, the rescue personnel also safely located the two individuals that the “first responders’ were searching for.

During this water rescue mission, the “first responders’ safely assisted in rescuing the following individuals from the Paw Paw River.

#1: 69 year old make from Eau Claire Michigan.
#2: 67 year old female from Eau Claire Michigan.
#3: 46 year old male from Chicago Illinois.
#4: 14 year old male from Kalamazoo, MI.
#5: 15 year old male from Kalamazoo, MI.

All five rescued individuals were checked out at the scene by Pride Car Ambulance.

The two juveniles, who were tubing with their parents were safely reunited with their parents.

During this water rescue mission, a kayak being operated by a North Berrien Fire Department first responder overturned in the individual was safely able to exit the water on his own.

Lost during this ordeal was a kayak owned by the North Berrien Fire Department and a kayak being operated by one of the rescued subjects.

This was a joint rescue mission by all the responding agencies and due to the cooperation and work amongst all the “First Responders’, everyone was safely removed from the river.

Some of the rescued individuals were wearing “life jackets”, however a couple of the rescued individuals were not wearing any.

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind everyone that you should always wear safety floatation devices while enjoying the wonderful waterways, especially now, due to the high waters and fast moving currents of the waterways, due to the recent heavy rainfall.