Marker project improves creek safety

LEESBURG — When a three-generation canoe trip turned upside down recently in Lee County, a cellphone and a mile marker sign helped rescuers quickly reach a woman trapped in water above her waist.

The grandmother, her daughter and granddaughter were on Muckalee Creek several weeks ago when they encountered a tree felled by Hurricane Michael that stretched across the waterway, said Jim Wright, director of the Lee County Code Compliance Office.

“They came around a bend,” he said. “There was a pine tree.”

The grandmother became pinned against the tree inside the canoe as it passed underneath.

“She sunk and she was (submerged) up to her chest,” Wright said. “Her daughter called 911. She had just seen the mile marker.”

With that information, fellow Code Enforcement officer Randy James and Lee County Fire Department personnel were able to determine a close location from which to launch rescue boats and personnel. That allowed them to more quickly reach the woman, who was not seriously injured, and free her.

While some of the course of waterways in Lee County are near “civilization” or abutted by houses, there are stretches of the streams that are more isolated.

The county’s 911 center has maps of creek markers so that they can give directions to rescue workers, Wright said.

The markers started going up as part of an Eagle Scout project. Other groups also participated.

There are a total of 20 of the mile markers on the Kinchafoonee, beginning at “K-O” at Sutton’s Landing near the Dougherty County Line to “K-20” at Kennard’s Landing.

The markers cover shorter stretches of water on the Muckalee Creek and Flint River in Lee County.

Another county safety feature for boaters is a life vest lending program. Those making a recreational trip and who are short of flotation devices can find them at Sutton’s Landing and other locations. Boaters are on the honor system to return them when they leave the water.

“They can borrow and drop off at the next station downstream,” Wright said. “They were provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Boater’s World in Lee County. I have seen some others that citizens donated and hung on the board.”