Old Town Family Calls 911 For a Man Stranded, Hurt On An Island

An Old Town family was having a quiet evening at home when they heard a man calling for help from a nearby island.

What Do We Know About the Man in Distress?

The injured man's name and what happened to him were not released, out of respect for his privacy. But Old Town Fire Department Lieutenant Justin Bartlett says the man was experiencing a medical emergency on Orson Island, in the Stillwater River. At first, he tried to swim across the river but turned back when the water became too cold. He didn't have a cell phone, so he began yelling for help.

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Had the Man Been Calling For Help For Very Long?

Approximately 3 hours later, my son Josh, his wife Hannah, and their two sons were having a quiet evening at home on Southgate Road in Old Town just before 7:30 when she thought she heard someone yelling. She and a neighbor ran down their road while Josh jumped in his car and drove to the boat landing. He called 'hello' and the man responded, so Josh flagged down a truck and asked the driver to call 911. Then Josh waited at the boat launch for the crews to arrive.

How Was He Brought to Safety?

Old Town Fire Department members responded to the scene, with a boat and an ambulance. It took longer than usual for the rescue workers and their medical equipment to reach the island because it was dark outside, but Bartlett says they made it there without incident. The man was brought back to shore where the ambulance crew attended to him before transporting him to a local hospital.

My son, Josh, often jokes that his wife, Hannah's hearing is incredible. In this case, it paid off for an injured man who desperately needed someone to hear him.