I just happened to be on duty and was able to keep the team from being paged out twice.
First there was a sinking 48 pontoon houseboat on Coeur dAlene Lake. Per the cell phone call, it was going down fast and the woman and children were getting into PFDs.
Before I go any further I have to say that anyone getting near the controls of a vessel, of any size, should be shot at sunrise if they havent had at least some training in its operation.
This gal takes out this 48 footer and hasnt got a clue what to do. A storm blows through and blew some water over the bow. The lake is only kicking up around one foot with small whitecaps. She freaks out and thinks its sinking. She was screaming into the phone that the floors were under water. They did get splashed on a little but were far from under water.
Now the engine dies and she really freaks out. When she put on the PFD at the helm everything, except her, was OK. What caused the engine to die was the safety switch, which was connected to the PFD. As long as she stayed with the helm it ran but when she left it pulled out and killed the engine. Now she thinks shes on the Titanic.
A resort workboat we called to assist pulled her to safety and that was it, at least for now.
The next one was a guy driving down the road when it gave way and into Killarney Lake he went. All he did was get the truck washed and when it was towed out he drove it away. He didnt even get the seat wet. One lucky man that better buy a lottery ticket and soon.
Here is a sat pic of the Killarney Lake. They must have shot this one at night.
http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=14&Z=11&X=166&Y=1644&W=1
If these people ever get smart Ill be out of work.
Gary D.
First there was a sinking 48 pontoon houseboat on Coeur dAlene Lake. Per the cell phone call, it was going down fast and the woman and children were getting into PFDs.
Before I go any further I have to say that anyone getting near the controls of a vessel, of any size, should be shot at sunrise if they havent had at least some training in its operation.
This gal takes out this 48 footer and hasnt got a clue what to do. A storm blows through and blew some water over the bow. The lake is only kicking up around one foot with small whitecaps. She freaks out and thinks its sinking. She was screaming into the phone that the floors were under water. They did get splashed on a little but were far from under water.
Now the engine dies and she really freaks out. When she put on the PFD at the helm everything, except her, was OK. What caused the engine to die was the safety switch, which was connected to the PFD. As long as she stayed with the helm it ran but when she left it pulled out and killed the engine. Now she thinks shes on the Titanic.
A resort workboat we called to assist pulled her to safety and that was it, at least for now.
The next one was a guy driving down the road when it gave way and into Killarney Lake he went. All he did was get the truck washed and when it was towed out he drove it away. He didnt even get the seat wet. One lucky man that better buy a lottery ticket and soon.
Here is a sat pic of the Killarney Lake. They must have shot this one at night.
http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=14&Z=11&X=166&Y=1644&W=1
If these people ever get smart Ill be out of work.
Gary D.
