FLORENCE, Ky. — Officers in Florence saved a woman who fell into freezing water Sunday night while trying to retrieve her dog.
The Florence Police Department said officers were called to a lake behind Rio Grande Circle just after 6:30 p.m. for a woman who fell through the ice and into the water about 100 feet from the shore.
“Fortunately she lived in an area where the neighbors were able to hear her screams,” Florence Police Capt. Greg Rehkamp said. “If you’re in a situation by yourself and you walk onto a pond, and you go through the ice like that and fall in the water, it’s gonna be very difficult to survive that situation.”
Rehkamp said the woman went onto the ice to get her dog, which had run into the middle of the pond. She was in the water for 10 minutes before first responders rescued her.
“The officers were able to scoot out the ice and were able to reach her, and were able to hold her above water,” said Rehkamp. “Eventually, they were able to go and pull her back to the shore.”
The woman was taken to UC Medical Center for hypothermia symptoms. She and her dog are now at home and recovering.
We asked Rehkamp if this is something they see often as the temperatures dip, and ponds and lakes freeze over.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever dealt with a situation like this,” Rehkamp said. “It was pretty amazing that the officers were able to go out and make that recovery like that. It’s very, very dangerous any time you go out on ice especially when it’s starting to melt.”
Rehkamp said to never go onto a frozen pond because you never know how stable it is.
“I would say your best bet is to not do that and find other ways of addressing a situation if you do have a dog run out on the pond like that, it’s a terrible situation but you’re also putting your life in danger when you go do that,” said Rehkamp.
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