March 28, 2024

Drone helps rescuers locate boaters

MASON CITY (AP) — A new drone Kossuth County purchased with a grant this spring helped authorities rescue a man and his granddaughter after their boat became hung up on a logjam on the Upper Des Moines River earlier this month.

The remote-control aircraft helped authorities quickly locate Thomas Fitzpatrick of Algona and his granddaughter on July 13.

Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Missman said he had recently finished training on flying the drone before the rescue. He was able to find Fitzpatrick in less than five minutes that day, which enabled rescuers to reach him before nightfall.

“We knew we only had about 40 minutes to find them before it became dark,” Missman said. “It took just three-and-a-half minutes to find them once I put the drone in the air.”

The fast work proved important because Fitzpatrick had had a heart attack and needed medical attention.

Fitzpatrick had made similar trips down the river from Plum Creek Dam many times before, but on that day his boat got caught on a logjam. He started feeling unwell as he tried to force the boat over the obstacle, and his cellphone got wet.

“I wasn’t feeling well. I didn’t know I was having a heart attack, but I didn’t feel well, and it was heavy work,” Fitzpatrick said.

By the time the rescue call went out three hours had passed since they had launched their boat.

Fitzpatrick spent several days in the hospital and has been on leave from his truck-driving job to recover.

“I never had an opinion on drones before, one way or the other,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’m now a fan.”