A Milwaukee firefighter had a close call on New Year's Eve after a car involved in a police chase plunged into the frigid waters of the Kinnickinnic River.
According to TMJ4, crews were called to the scene at about 8:40 p.m. Monday when the car drove into the river, and conditions were very bad with near freezing temperatures, sleet and a strong current.
The vehicle, which was being pursued by police, drove through a chain link fence before landing in the water upside down.
Milwaukee Deputy Fire Chief Aaron Lipski said when the first rescue diver reached the car and a woman who was inside, he got stuck trying to reach the surface.
"When you hear these things it absolutely makes your heart stop," Lipski said.
Crews were able to communicate with the firefighter, who is a 15-year department veteran, to help him surface safely.
"In this firefighter's own words he credits the level of training and the intensity and the frequency of his training for getting him through what in most people would create a hysteria, a panic situation. In this case he felt that internal panic, but he was able to focus and work himself through those steps he learned in training to keep himself calm and start working through this disentanglement," said Lipski.
The firefighter was at home with family Tuesday and doing well.
"He’s a doer, a helper. He wants to be in the action. That’s why he’s here. Now, I’m glad to be able to describe him to you in this way instead of in the past tense. It shakes you to your core," said Lipski.
