Fisherman rescued from rising river
Firefighters from Gwinnett and Forsyth counties rescued a fisherman trapped by rising water in the Chattahoochee River Sunday.
The 28-year-old man was clinging to a support of the bridge for Georgia Highway 20, said Deputy Chief Charles Wells of the Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services.
Firefighters lowered a life vest to him and secured him with ropes. Then, the Gwinnett Fire Swift Water Rescue Team rescued him with a boat.
The victim was uninjured.
Wells noted that the fisherman had not been wearing a life vest. He was caught off guard by the rising water during a water release at Buford Dam.
Anyone planning a river trip can contact the Corps of Engineers at 770-945-1466 or tune to AM 1610 in the area of Buford Dam for water release times. Warning sirens are in place from Buford Dam to Georgia Highway 20 to alert visitors 20 minutes before each release.
About the Author
Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.
