A team of six Transmission line team members began work April 9 intending to remove an empty osprey nest from a pole in Three Rivers, Michigan. They ended up throwing a literal lifeline to a man swept away in the cold, fast-moving St. Joseph River.
In Three Rivers, Michigan, six Transmission employees pulled a struggling man from the swift-moving St. Joseph River. From left: Kyle Fleming, Ricardo Flores, Nicholas Nobles, Tim Amos, Jimmy Garis and Matthew Mitchell.
"I couldn't be prouder of the team and how they responded," Transmission Director Eddie Hannah said. "This crew not only demonstrates a strong commitment to safety in their daily work but also shows exceptional responsiveness and care for the public. What a blessing it was to have them there at that site and at that time."
Kyle Fleming, Ricardo Flores, Nicholas Nobles, Tim Amos, Jimmy Garis and Matthew Mitchell had received a green light from AEP Environmental team confirming there were no eggs or chicks in the osprey nest. It was a hazard that had already caused a line to lock out.
While working about 100 feet from the bank of the St. Joseph River, employees in an elevated bucket heard someone yelling for help. Down river, they saw a man fighting the swift current and struggling to hold on to a fallen tree.
"They didn't hesitate. They took immediate ownership, worked as a team and put a person's safety first," Transmission Field Services Senior Vice President Ryan Forbes said.
The bucket crew called out to their teammates below to quickly get to the river with a rope. They hurled the rope out to the struggling man in one toss and the entire team pulled him to the bank and lifted him from the cold water.
The man couldn’t stand on his own and was barely able to talk, Crew Supervisor Jordan Radde said.
While waiting for an ambulance, one team member stayed with the man on the riverbank while the other five cleared a path through the woods for emergency vehicles. EMS personnel provided treatment on scene, transported the man to the hospital and told the crew they anticipated a full recovery.
"What they did goes beyond the job. It speaks of their responsibility to the communities we serve and to each other, something that's visible throughout our teams," Forbes said. "I join all of Transmission in thanking them for their professionalism, awareness and willingness to step in when it mattered most."