Calgary fire crews make double water rescue Monday afternoon

Calgary fire crews rescued two people from Harvie Passage late Monday afternoon

CALGARY -

With Calgarians flocking to the Bow River amid record-setting heat, Calgary fire crews made a dramatic double rescue from the water Monday.

They responded to a call around 5 p.m. at the Harvie Passage area, after receiving reports of an unconscious man who was spotted struggling in the water before being dragged to shore by bystanders.

Those bystanders, which included two off-duty firefighters, started CPR immediately on the man. Arriving fire crews took over CPR, administered the automated external defillibrator, then administered oxygen.

The patient's care was then passed to EMS, which transported the man to hospital.

As the patient was being loaded into the ambulance, aquatics crews witnessed a boy riding in a pool floaty who wasn't wearing a lifejacket capsize in the river near Harvie Passage, then being dragged downstream by the strong current.

The aquatics crew was able to position their boat downstream in order to intercept the boy as he was dragged down the river by the current and bring him to shore safely.

Before going in the water, the fire department advises Calgarians to check out Calgary.ca/watersafety to ensure you have the equipment, information and skill level for the location you're planning to visit.