Streator firefighters rescued a 13-year-old girl Tuesday evening who was stuck in the flowing Vermilion River and unable to move.
The girl was about 25 feet into the river with a male assisting her to stand in about 2 feet of flowing water, the Streator Fire Department said in a news release. Once on the scene shortly after 6 p.m., firefighters donned rescue gear, including life jackets and entered the river. A life jacket was placed on the girl and Streator firefighters walked her safely from the river.
The girl was evaluated by Streator Fire EMS and released.
To perform the rescue, the Streator firefighters used equipment provided by donation from the Streator River Rescue Fund and the Rodriguez family.
Six firefighters assisted in the rescue and there were no injuries reported. The Streator Fire Department also was assisted by Vermilion Valley Dispatch and the Streator Police Department.
Streator firefighters remind the community even shallow water flowing swiftly can be much more dangerous than it appears. “Swim with caution in all flowing water,” the news release said.
