Lost And Injured Kayaker Located On Deerfield River

Photo Courtesy of Greenfield Fire Department

By KENNEDY GRIFFIN

(Deerfield, MA) On Tuesday around 9 p.m. Deerfield Fire and Police Departments received a report of a lost kayaker on the Deerfield River. The caller said the kayaker was floating down the river, lost, and unable to get out. The Deerfield Fire Chief Darren Melnik requested assistance from the Greenfield Drone Unit. 

The Greenfield Drone Unit launched the drone with a thermal camera and was able to locate the empty kayak within two minutes. Deerfield Fire was able to confirm the kayak was empty and then located a person walking up shore by using a thermal camera. The firemen were able to send coordinates of the person and made contact with the kayaker, who was injured.

South County EMS was called for assistance and transported the injured party to the hospital for minor injuries after the Deerfield Fire District used their inflatable boat to bring the injured kayaker down river. The low water levels meant the responders had to push through the water.