May 21, 2003

Local Area Boaters Save Woman from River

They were just approaching the I-480 bridge when they heard someone shouting at them from the shoreline. It turned out to be a medic from the Council Bluffs Fire Department. A woman had jumped from the bridge and was bobbing up and down in the fast moving current just ahead of them. They slowly maneuvered their boat closer to the woman and noticed she was covered in bruises. 

Debra at first thought someone had beaten her up but after talking with the woman, she found out that the 34-year-old woman had actually tried to take her own life by jumping from the bridge.

Debra and her son Brian threw out a life-jacket then pulled the woman into their boat and wrapped her in a blanket they had on hand. The water in the river is still fairly cold this time of year and the woman was obviously very shaken.

Once the woman was safely in their boat, Debra called 911. They then brought her to the Ameristar Casino riverboat where paramedics took over. The woman was then transferred to NHS University Hospital in Omaha.

Debra and Bob are both in Pharmaceutical sales. Debra also has a degree in nursing and her son Brian is majoring in psychology. They were able to comfort the woman until getting her safely to shore. Although pretty shook up after the incident, they all felt there was definitely a reason that God placed them at that particular place and helped them prevent what could have been yet another terrible tragedy on the river.

I think this story emphasizes not only the need for safe boating practices but also the awareness we must all have about our surroundings when boating on the river. Carrying a first-aid kit and having either a cell phone or a marine radio installed on your boat is something every boater may want to consider. There are also numerous first-aid classes offered through organizations such as the American Red Cross or local YMCA's that will give you the necessary training you may need someday if you find yourself in a similar situation.