Eleven people, including 10 children, were rescued from the rain-swollen Alcovy River near Lawrenceville Saturday after
The incident happened at Freemans Mill Park, according to Capt. Tommy Rutledge of the Gwinnett County Fire Department, and rescue efforts started following a call to 911.
"The caller to 911 was a frantic female who advised that multiple children were stranded in the river rapids," Rutledge said.
The first units on the scene reported there were one adult and ten children who were "in immediate danger in the water. There was a group of children on the rocks below the falls and a father and child on top of the falls in the middle of the river. The river was rain-swollen due to a recent thunderstorm, which created treacherous rapids and swift current conditions."
"As additional units were responding to the scene, the crew of Engine-16 and Engine-15, made an immediate rescue of a child who was about to go over the top of the falls to an approximate 10-foot drop in raging waters."
The other children stranded on the rocks were successfully removed from the water by the additional fire crews. The children were on the rocks in the middle of the river below the rapids.
"The crew of Engine-31 and Swiftwater-14 were able to affect the rescue of a father and son who were in immediate danger of going over the top of the falls and being swept away by the swift current," Rutledge added.
Crews were able to successfully rescue all eleven people from the river by about 5:50, about an hour after the 911 call. "They were assessed by paramedics and transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. There were no obvious injuries noted."
Rutledge said the group was believed to be part of a large multi-family gathering that was picnicking near the edge of the river. They were located at the bottom of the trail near the watermill.
He also noted that signs posted in the area warn people not to enter the water.
"The brave actions of the firefighters kept the situation from becoming a tragedy for the families involved," Rutledge said.
