One Child, Three Adults Rescued From Icy Water At Glenwood Lake Park

A 9-year-old boy and three adults were rescued at Glenwood Lake Park Sunday afternoon after falling through melting ice into the water.

Around 2:50 p.m., Glenwood Fire and Rescue units were dispatched to the park after the Mills County Emergency 911 Center received a call of a child that had fallen through the ice. When first responders arrived, the child had already been removed from the water but three adults who had entered the lake were in need of assistance.

“There were three adults in the water,” said Glenwood Fire Chief Matt Gray. “We had to throw them ropes and pull them and get them to the shoreline.”

Gray said the three adults were about 15-20 feet from the shore where the water depth is 8-10 feet.

“They went to get him and with the ice being as thin as it is, they ended up going through as well,” Gray said. “They were wet and as they were trying to get back to shore, the ice just kept breaking.

“We had one guy in an ice rescue suit and threw some lines out to assist them getting back to shore. Then, they were all checked for injury and hypothermia. They ended up all refusing (treatment) and the parent of the juvenile also refused further medical and transport (for the child).”

The incident occurred on the southwest corner of the lake.

“I believe the dad was up in the park area with another child,” said Gray. “The kid that fell through, he was actually on a scooter going around the park with some kids and I guess he decided to explore the ice on that end of the lake.”

Gray offered praise for the three individuals that went into the lake to rescue the boy.

“They did a great job making sure he got out and making sure he was safe,” he said.

Gray noted that all Glenwood Fire and Rescue personnel train for water rescue situations on a regular basis.

“It (training) is very valuable. We usually have at least one to three water incidents every year,” he said. “It’s one of those things we continuously train for.

“Every one of our members is basically required to go through the class and also do a hands-on skill where they actually get thrown into the water in a suit and become the victim. And also, they become the rescuer as well.”