Rescue workers risked their own lives to save a woman from the power of the mighty Niagara.
News 4's Erika Brason is in our newsroom with the amazing story of how they brought her to safety. Rescue workers in Niagara Falls have done it again. They put their lives on the line to save a woman from near death. In one of their most daring rescues yet. Rescue workers in Niagara Falls, Ontario put their skills to the ultimate test yesterday, performing a daring rescue at the icy brink of the mighty niagara. Niagara Falls Firefighter Fred Hall was 1 of 3 firefighters who entered the water to rescue a woman just 100 feet from the edge of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.
A passerby called 911 when he noticed the 50 year old woman sitting at the edge of the water about a half mile up the river. By the time she floated down stream rescuers were able to secure her to the shoreline with a rope. Passerby states "hypothermia had set in, probably been in the water about an hour." "Once you go not gonna get out of there too easily."
Ontario Power Generation was contacted to lower the water level. Standing in knee deep water, the woman was lifted to safety in a rescue basket. She was shivering and barely conscious. "It just so happens an hour before we were practicing ice water rescue in portion of river up farther, it was kind of coincidental." But practice can never live up to the real thing, when faced with a true life or death situation.
"I just got shivers of happiness, don't think ever had one this close to falls that made it back out, good for us." Niagara Parks Police say the woman entered the river of her own free will. She was sent to the hospital for treatment of hypothermia. A firefighter also suffered hypothermia. Both are expected to recover.
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