ESCANABA – Deputies with the Delta County Sheriff’s Office and members of the Delta County Search and Rescue were recently honored with life-saving awards for their efforts last winter during two separate ice rescues.

Delta County Marine Deputy Jon Smith, who was present for both rescues, shared more details about the rescues.

On February 15, just before 7 a.m., first responders were informed of two fishermen who fell in the water near Ford River.

Smith said the two were headed back when they crossed over a pressure crack and fell through the ice.

“They were helped initially by somebody who had seen them go through, and he kind of assisted from a distance, and he actually was instrumental in flagging us down,” Smith said.

Smith, along with Deputy John Kleiber and Delta County Search and Rescue volunteers Scott Brandt and Brad Milligan, responded with the airboat and found the two fishermen standing on the ice, soaking wet.

“As the airboat was getting close to them, it was breaking through the ice,” Smith said.

Milligan and Brandt were able to reach the victims, but because the ice was so weak, Milligan and Brandt were forced to belly-crawl with the victims to more solid ice so the boat could get closer.

The deputies were able to save the victims with no injuries.

“The two fishermen were just cold and shaken, but they were not injured,” Smith said.

On March 13, around 9:30 p.m., first responders were informed of three individuals in the water near Days River.

Smith said the call was initially confusing because two calls were made around the same time. One reported that three people were in the water, while the other reported that they fell through the ice but were helped by another person on the ice and brought to shore.

A third call confirmed that three individuals were still in the water.

Smith and Kleiber manned the airboat while Deputy Adam Flagstadt and Delta County Search and Rescue volunteers Jayson Frandle and Tom Hinrickson were tasked with retrieving the victims.

Smith parked the airboat as close as he could to the victims, allowing the three rescuers to walk towards them.

Smith said the ice was not good, and the area around Days River is notorious for having bad ice conditions.

“The rivers are warmer, of course, in the wintertime, usually more than the bay. So that creates deterioration,” Smith said.

Because of the ice conditions, the rescuers faced challenges reaching the victims.

“They went through the ice several times themselves,” Smith said.

One of the three victims made their way towards the airboat, and Smith immediately began aiding them.

“We got him in the airboat, started getting him warmed up while we waited for our search and rescue members to retrieve the other two victims, and they did so one at a time,” Smith said.

Once all three were in the boat and covered with blankets, Smith and Kleiber took them to EMS, who were waiting on shore.

Because of concerns about capacity on the boat, the rescuers and the victims could not all ride on the boat at the same time.

“We left the victims with EMS on shore and went back and recovered our search and rescue members,” Smith said.

Smith said the rescues went smoothly thanks to the efforts of the deputies and the search and rescue members.

“It went very well,” he said.

He also credited the equipment the department has, including the airboat.

“To be able to go out there on that airboat, and not have to worry about open water, is just so much safer for us and our search and rescue members and our divers that have to get out there.

It’s just an invaluable asset to our county to have that available to us,” Smith said.

Smith reminds the public always to exercise caution when going on the ice or in the water, as conditions can change quickly.

“It’s strongly suggested that you get off the ice before dark just to avoid the hazards of darkness,” he said.

Courtesy photo
Seven individuals were recently honored with life-saving awards for two separate ice rescues that took place over the winter. Pictured are, from left to right, Delta County Sherrif’s Office Deputy Jon Smith, Deputy Adam Flagstadt, and Delta County Search and Rescue volunteer members Scott Brandt and Jayson Frandle.

Courtesy photo
Seven individuals were recently honored with life-saving awards for two separate ice rescues that took place over the winter. Pictured are, from left to right, Delta County Search and Rescue volunteer members Tom Hinrickson and Brad Milligan.