Four people were rescued from Yellow River Saturday evening after the river waters surged due to recent rain and the four were stuck in the middle of the river.
Gwinnett County Firefighters responded at 8:24 p.m. July 9, to a report of a person trapped on a rock in the Yellow River.
The caller said that the person was near the Yellow River Park, located on Juhan Road.
Upon arrival, firefighters identified four victims trapped on a rock near the middle of the Yellow River. Fire crews were able to reach the victims, who were estimated to be 15-feet to 30-feet from the bank, with a rescue throw bag.
Firefighters then used the rope to send Personal Flotation Devices to the victims. Safety measures were also placed upstream and downstream of the victims.
The first arriving members of Gwinnett Swiftwater Rescue Team assisted with rescue efforts while awaiting the arrival of Boat 1. Rising water levels continued to create a life safety concern.
Firefighters evaluated the river conditions for a safe rescue and ensured that victims had appropriately donned flotation devices. Next, the fire crews used rope to guide the victims from the rocks to the shore. All four adult victims were moved one by one to the riverbank where their conditions were assessed.
There were no injuries reported during this incident.
The victims told firefighters they were playing in the river when the water level suddenly began to rise, trapping them on the rock.
Firefighters attribute the sudden rise in water level to recent rainfall.
The Gwinnett County Fire Department is reminding swimmers of the importance of wearing lifejackets whenever near lakes, rivers, and streams.
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