FRENCHTOWN TWP., Mich. (WXYZ) — A water rescue occurred just in the nick of time. The Frenchtown Township Fire Department quickly came to the rescue of a woman after her car went into a creek leaving her in the freezing water, scared and alone.
The fire department is trained to handle all sorts of emergencies. Usually, their heroic efforts aren’t captured on camera, except this time it was when the call came in for a water rescue with just minutes to spare.
"She’s back somewhere around the Kiwanis Park," said fire Chief Wendy Stevens. "She’s in the creek. She’s in the water. She’s still talking."
The Frenchtown Township Fire Department always answers the call, and this rescue was no different. A 71-year-old woman accidentally drove onto a partially frozen creek behind Kiwanis Park on Nadeau Road. The fire chief says the woman was in the water and needed help immediately.
"The water was up to the doors of her car," Stevens said. "(It was) below her window by about 5 or 6 inches."
The incredible rescue was captured on camera by Monroe County Reporters Ryan Mink and Shane Neckel. Firefighters are seen working diligently, knowing every additional minute in the water is the difference between life and death.
"(It) has to be 30 degrees, high 20s," Stevens said. "We had about 4 or 5 inches of ice on top of it. They had to break the ice away to get to her."
Chief Stevens says the woman had some type of medical condition, causing her to become disoriented and go into the creek. The chief added that she’s proud of her firefighters and everyone involved in the rescue. But says she wouldn't call herself or her firefighters "heroes."
"We’re not heroes," Stevens said. "We’ve got a job just like you do and we do our job to the best of our ability. We work for the citizens. We work for the residents."
The 71-year-old woman was taken to the hospital and is being treated for hypothermia.
