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North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP save man from pond with quick thinking, garden hose

RCMP received a 911 call that a man had fallen in a drainage pond
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Police officers helped save a man from drowning in a pond on private property on Nov. 13. (File photo)

Officers from the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP detachment were instrumental in saving a man from drowning in a pond on private property on Nov. 13.

RCMP received a 911 call that a man had fallen in a drainage pond in the 2200 block of Cowichan Bay Road.

Officers attended immediately and found the large pond to be surrounded by a steep 15-foot bank of mud.

The man had fallen into the pond while working on his property nearby, and was now completely submerged in mud and water up to his mouth.

The man could not extricate himself due to the mud and a pre-existing medical condition, but cries for help were heard and 911 was called.

RCMP officers quickly utilized nearby equipment such as a garden hose, to fabricate a safety line and harness and lowered an officer to the water level, down the bank.

An officer managed to grab hold of the man’s arm and with assistance from muscle at the top of the bank, and a newly arrived rope, managed to extricate the man from the pond.

“The quick response and thinking of the officers involved, without a doubt, saved this man’s life,” said RCMP Sgt. Chris Swain.

“I am proud to be part of a group of officers that routinely make a difference in their community and routinely put the safety of others first.”



Sarah Simpson

About the Author: Sarah Simpson

I started my time with Black Press Media as an intern, before joining the Citizen in the summer of 2004.
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