Sullivan Water Rescue Saves Life Sunday With Critical Factors At Play

Text to 911 and skilled water rescue firefighters from the Sullivan Fire Protection District led to a life saved early Sunday morning, March 5, at 10:22 a.m. on a flooded Meramec River at Sappington Bridge in Crawford County.

According to Sullivan Fire and Crawford County 911 Command Center, the center received a 911 text at 10:22 a.m. in which the tester stated he had capsized his boat on the Meramec Rover, near the Sappington Bridge access.

Brad England, 911 Director, reported that the victim had tried calling 911 while clinging to a pile of logs, but his call did not go through. He then texted 911 and the request for help was received by 911 dispatchers who then sent two rescue boats from Sullivan and Bourbon Fire Departments.

Arriving on the scene was Sullivan Firefighter Lt. Stetson Zelch who established command and informed arriving fire units that a 23-year-old male was on top of a brush pile jammed against a bridge support pillar.

According to Sullivan Fire Captain Dave Konys, also a swift water rescue technician, Missouri Baptist Ambulance staff had lowered a life vest down to the victim with a rope from the bridge.

Capt. Knows, swift water rescue firefighter Joe Kincaid and Boat Operator Dave Sumpter deployed in the water rescue boat just upstream from the incident and then traveled down river in an attempt to bring the rescue boat alongside the pillar and brush pile to rescue the 23-year-old who had moderate injuries.

“This was a very nerve wracking rescue honestly, we were working to avoid debris in the water, get next to the pillar and brush pile where our victim was located and keep the rescue boat in a stable position to get the victim,” said Capt. Konys. “We were very fortunate to be able to get next to the pillar, maintain speed in the swift water and rescue the male victim from the brush pile.”

From there firefighters in the rescue boat were able to return to the flooded boat ramp and get the patient to Missouri Baptist Ambulance personnel.

Missouri Baptist treated the male for moderate injuries but he declined to be transported to Missouri Baptist Hospital-Sullivan.

The Meramec River was well above flood stage as heavy rain impacted the local area on Thursday evening and Friday dumping two and a half to three inches of rain on saturated grounds in less than 24 hours.

Most rivers and creeks in the area were at flood stage or had just begun to fall below flood stage Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

Crawford County 911 Director Brad England stated this is a confirmed life saved via Text to 911.

“We would like to commend dispatchers Jonathon Sunderland and Kasey Conn for their quick action as well as the Sullivan Police Dispatch, Franklin County Dispatch, Sullivan Fire, Bourbon Fire and Missouri Baptist EMS.”

The name of the 23-year-old male was not released at press time.

Reportedly the male subject had been working on the boats motor Saturday and decided to test it Sunday morning at the Sappington Bridge Access when something went terribly wrong in the flooded river causing it to capsize.