Kalamazoo Officers Save Man From Icy Waters With Quick Action

The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety recently made a heroic rescue, as a 63-year-old man had fallen through the ice and was submerged in freezing water.

Not only did they make the rescue, but they caught it all on their body camera, as you can watch them make the amazing save below:

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At approximately 11:39 a.m. on Jan. 14, KDPS officers were dispatched to the 3700 block of Greenleaf Circle for a report of a man in the water. Officers arrived to find a 63-year-old male approximately 100 yards offshore, submerged up to his shoulders in icy water and holding himself up on unstable ice.

There was a moment during the rescue where the rescuer actually broke through the ice himself, but was wearing special gear to keep him warm and safe, and was able to readjust himself before the rescue continued:

 

Due to unsafe ice conditions, officers were initially unable to reach the man without specialized equipment. Members of KDPS Squad 6 arrived and donned cold-water rescue gear to safely enter the lake. EO Tech Aaron DeWaal made contact with the fisherman in the freezing water and secured a life preserver around him. Officers on shore then assisted in pulling both the fisherman and DeWaal back to land.

Luckily, because of the quick response from both the KDPS and emergency crews, the man is expected to make a full recovery with no major injuries.

As someone who fell through the ice as a kid, I know just how scary this situation is, and he's lucky he was able to get help, while also doing his best to survive.