In a chilly rescue operation, Austin-Travis County EMS and Austin Fire Department crews saved a person stranded on a makeshift "island" in the middle of a river in East Austin late Monday night. Authorities were alerted to the incident after desperate cries for help were heard near the Longhorn Dam at N Pleasant Valley Road and East Cesar Chavez Street, according to CBS Austin.
Wilderness Rescue Longhorn Dam N Pleasant Valley Rd / E Cesar Chavez St (19:18) Reports of a person at/near the river "yelling for help". @AustinFireInfo has arrived & is reporting a person standing on an "island" in the middle of the river. Situation is being further evaluated. pic.twitter.com/FzT2aMjrww
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) January 16, 2024
The crews responded swiftly, locating the victim with the aid of a drone video, which depicted the dramatic moments as the stranded person was found and provided with emergency medical treatment. The individual, whose plight began after an unknown sequence of events led them to be caught in the river, eventually walked out to shore but still needed to be transported to the hospital for the onset of hypothermia. This marked just one in a series of calls related to frigid exposure that ATCEMS treated 17 people for hypothermia from Sunday morning to noon Monday, as per KXAN.
"Early signs for hypothermia is going to be the obvious. Maybe shivering. Those goosebumps. Maybe some bluish skin," Capt. Darren Noak of ATCEMS explained, underscoring the serious nature of what can appear to be benign symptoms. Mayor Kirk Watson took to the airwaves, urging the public to stay indoors as temperatures plummeted, hitting record lows for the region, as reported by KXAN.
With the cold snap tightening its grip on the state, Noak advised residents who choose to brave the outdoors to do so with caution, and to always dress in multiple layers. "It's just like we do in the summer. Everything in moderation. Dress appropriately," he emphasized, suggesting people to reduce their workout and exposure to the elements should they elect to venture outside, as stated in KXAN.
While the rescued individual recovers, their identity and the details that led to their dire situation remain a mystery. Officials have not released further details about the cause of the person's presence in the river or the circumstances that found them trapped on the "island."
