Thunder Bay – News – At approximately 6:00pm the Thunder Bay Fire Rescue Service responded to possible drowning of two young men swimming in the popular Soldier’s Hole near Trowbridge Park.
The initial call came in as drowning victim was unresponsive so multiple crews were dispatched to the scene.
The first pumper located off Trowbridge Falls Park made a quick entry through the dense bush to the cliff line to determine where the person in trouble was located. Numerous people identified where he was so rescuers made a safe decent into the gorge then assessed the first young man who was in a state of shock.
Witnesses said his friend jumped into the water to rescue him but both men could not swim well so both were treated on scene while more rescuers gathered with proper equipment.
At this time more equipment arrived in the Centennial Park parking lot including the UTV all-terrain vehicle with rescue basket and first aid supplies as well as the High Angle Rescue Trailer (HART).
Our highly trained rope technicians along with personnel gained access utilizing the Centennial Park trail system until the first crew and patient was spotted.
The fire crews in the gorge safely tied off the patient who had a PFD then escorted him across the river to the waiting technicians who brought him up the steep slopes. At this time, he was placed into the UTV rescue vehicle for transport to the waiting ambulance in the staging area then assessed and brought to TBRHSC for further treatment.
The second young man was escorted up the steep slopes on the east side of the river by pumper 5 crew then into another ambulance.
A total of 4 pumper trucks were utilized at this scene as these events require multiple personnel to be successful. There was also two four wheel drive trucks dispatched with the UTV and the HART rescue trailer along with the Platoon Chief who coordinated the rescue event.
