City Subscriptions

Duluth Fire rescues 20-year old woman from dangerous Lake Superior conditions

[Duluth, MN] At 4:00 p.m. today, the Duluth Fire Department responded to the report of a water emergency on the 2800 block of Minnesota Ave. The initial report was that a 20-year-old woman was pulled away from shore by a rip current and was about 200 yards from shore. There were several people swimming, but the rest of the woman’s party was able to return to shore. DFD’s Squad 251 and Rescue 1 were first on the scene. Two rescue swimmers from Rescue 1 were able to use a rescue surfboard to reach the victim and help her to shore. The woman was treated by Mayo Ambulance at the scene and transported to a local hospital for exhaustion. She is expected to recover.

Responders from Duluth Fire, Duluth Police, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department, and Mayo Ambulance all assisted in moving the woman from the beach to the ambulance using a Stokes rescue basket and wheel. The US Coast Guard also responded.

“Our crews train for situations like this,” Assistant Chief Dennis Edwards said. “Over the last few years, we have done a lot of training and done equipment upgrades as a part of our water rescue program.

Today that investment paid off with Captain Gucinski and Firefighter Sarvi making an incredibly daring and dangerous water rescue. I am incredibly grateful that they were able to save this young woman.”

The Duluth Fire Department would like to remind the public that there is a dangerous swimming condition warning in effect until tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Red flags fly in multiple locations along Park Point, along with a message board that shares beach conditions when warnings are issued. Please keep yourself and others safe by not entering the water when these warnings are issued, regardless of your swimming experience.

###