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Chief: Equipment work properly during drownings

• Albany’s fire chief heralds the work of an all-volunteer diver squad in the recovery of two bodies from the Flint River.

J.D. Sumner

ALBANY — Equipment designed to help firefighters and rescue personnel locate and recover people lost on the river worked as designed when employed in the tragic drownings of two people Sunday in the Flint River, fire officials said Tuesday.

Rescue workers are just beginning to evaluate themselves after rescue operations on the river turned into a recovery operation when two people drowned.

Albany Fire Chief James Carswell said that preliminary indications are that everything worked as it was supposed to, but an examination of the tactics and methods used by rescue workers will be further examined when they get back to work today, he said.

“It’s still a little early for a full evaluation, but we always examine ourselves after a major incident like this one,” Carswell said.

The bodies of Joshua Perry, 11, and D.J. Vinson, 23, were recovered by divers Monday. Sunday afternoon, rescue personnel say, Vinson jumped into the Flint to rescue Joshua, who was struggling to stay afloat in the churning waters, but both succumbed to the current.

Carswell said that divers found Vinson and Perry both pinned by the current along the bottom of the river.

A boat, purchased by the city of Albany because of its ability to navigate the often shallow shoals of the river, worked as anticipated during the recovery effort, Carswell said.

“The GPS and sonar on-board appeared to have worked just as they were supposed to,” Carswell said. “We were able to check and mark holes and snags on the river and save a lot time by using that technology.”

Before implementation of the new technology, rescuers would often have to retread the same ground on the river, costing valuable time.

“Thankfully the divers were only in the water a matter of hours during the two days, which means things were safer for them and us,” Carswell said.

The chief thanked the all-volunteer diver squad for dedicating themselves to the recovery effort.

“People don’t understand that they are all-volunteer and that that they give over 100 percent when they get called. They’re amazing,” Carswell said.

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