Jefferson County, ID–Here's a reminder that mobile personal emergency response systems aren't just for seniors!
Matthew, a university student, and his roommates spent an enjoyable evening sailing on a lake, until the sky turned ominous and a storm began brewing on the horizon.
They turned their raft in the direction of the boat ramp channel and began paddling in.The three reached the end of the channel when the wind and freezing rain began bearing down on them. Matthew noticed his roommates were soaked and shivering.
The wind blew so fiercely that it pushed the small foam raft into the reeds at the channel's edge. After weighing the situation, Matthew, who suffers from seizures, pressed his mobile medical alert button and connected with AvantGuard team member, Nick.
"Matt, this is Nick. Do you need help?"
"YES!"
In a panic, Matthew said, "We're at Mud Lake, heading toward the South boat ramp, and we're stuck on the edge of the channel trying to get back to shore. One of my roommates appears to be borderline hypothermic. We need the Sheriff's Office to bring a boat to pull us back to shore."
With a firm grasp on the gravity of the situation, Nick called the Jefferson County 911 Center. and reconnected with Matthew.
"Matt, I have help on the way. If you need anything else, just let me know. I'll do everything I can to help."
For the next 30 minutes, Nick talked with Matthew, reassuring him that all would be well.
"It was cold and rainy that day," remembered Nick. "I knew if I didn't act quickly, things would get much worse. In addition to the subscriber, there were two friends and an aid dog in danger as well."
A rescue boat soon arrived at the dock and paramedics from Mud Lake Ambulance were waiting to treat the group for hypothermia.
We'd like to thank Nick, as well as the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and Mud Lake Idaho Ambulance for their prompt response. We'd also like to thank the provider of Matthew's mPERS.
