A man who jumped about 25 feet from a bridge in downtown Joliet into the Des Plaines River this morning was being treated for severe hypothermia, officials said.
Firefighters were called to the Jefferson Street Bridge at about 7:04 a.m. after someone saw a man plunge from the bridge, according to Joliet Fire Lt. John Miller.
Firefighters threw the man a rope, and he was able to hold onto it until a diver wearing a "dry suit" jumped into the water, Miller said.
The "dry suit" prevented the diver from getting hypothermia because the water was near freezing, said Miller. The suit is also buoyant, and the firefighter was able to stay afloat while holding on to the man, Miller said.
Other firefighters tried to get a ladder to the man from the river bank, but the diver was unable to lift the man onto it because of the weight of his heavy winter jacket, Miller said. Miller and other firefighters launched a boat and eventually pulled the man on board.
"He was suffering from hypothermia at that point, pretty severe," Miller said. "The gentleman had on a heavy coat and that really weighed him down."
The man, who appeared to be in his 20s, appeared impaired and firefighters found a bottle of prescription pills floating near him, Miller said. Inside the ambulance, Miller said he heard the man mention he had been in Iraq.
"He mentioned something about post-traumatic stress disorder from Iraq service," Miller said.
The man was stabilized and taken to Provena St. Joseph Medical Center about a half-hour from the initial call.
"We got very lucky there, very lucky," said Miller.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
