Charlotte Fire Department

On July 3rd at 8:20 pm, The Charlotte Fire Department (CFD) Communications Center dispatched a dive rescue response to the McDowell Park/Nature Preserve to assist Steele Creek Fire-Rescue with a possible drowning. The Charlotte Fire Department assets included Battalion 5, Engines 37 & 10, Ladder 26, Rescue 10 and Dive 10. While enroute, CFD Communications notified these units that Steele Creek 9 had established Command and was operating at a cove within the preserve. Command advised Battalion 5 that the CFD units responding by land should proceed to Copperhead Island. McDowell Park had limited access while Copperhead Island provided a better vintage point for dive operations. Dive 10, Rescue 10, and E-10 diverted to Copperhead Island; Battalion 5, E-37, and L-26 continued their response to McDowell Park. Water Rescue 38 (Dive/ Rescue boat) also continued their response via the waterway to McDowell Park.

E-37 was the first CFD Company to arrive at the park at 8:25 pm. Battalion 5arrived at 8:31, met with Command and began to assist with operations. Boats from Steele Creek Fire-Rescue and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department had initiated surface rescue operations. Command provided Battalion 5 with information concerning the victim and provided an approximate location based on witness statements.

Water Rescue 38 arrived at 8:44 pm and was directed to insert divers immediately. WR38 maneuvered proximal to the location provided by Command and deployed two rescue divers and were soon joined by divers from Rescue 10; a total off our divers were in the water conducting a hasty search-(two divers from WR38 and two divers from Rescue 10, with back-up divers in place, from the working shore).

Water Rescue 10 arrived and was directed to make a wide sweep of the area while using their on-board Hummingbird unit. Just as they dropped a marker indicating a possible victim location, a diver from WR38 located the victim and was pushing him to the surface with a diver from Rescue 10 at 8:59 pm. The victim was immediately loaded onto WR10 and CPR was initiated. Within two minutes of the victim being loaded onto WR10, they arrived at the Copperhead Island landing and transferred to victim to Medic. Medic and members of E-10 continued CPR while the victim was transported to Carolinas Medical Center-Pineville. The victim was pronounced deceased by attending physicians.

Submitted by Mark Basnight

Charlotte Fire Department