Team 300 takes swift action in flood-related emergencies
The Butler County Water Rescue Team 300 averages around 25 dispatches a year, according to its chief, Mark Adomaitis.
Adomaitis said many of those calls are for flood rescues, including one last week when the team helped a woman on Miller Woods Trail in Slippery Rock get back to solid ground.
That emergency was caused by ice damming up Wolf Creek downstream of the victim, causing water to build up all around the trail and trap her and her two dogs on a small dry patch. This situation is not uncommon, Adomaitis said, but the woman’s reaction is what helped make the rescue a success.
“That could have been a different story if she didn't have cell service,” Adomaitis said. “Stay put and call for help. If you think you are lost, call now, don't wait until you have been out there for a long time. She was able to call her mom and describe where she was.”
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