Prince George’s County public safety agencies were dispatched to check on a male standing in the middle of the Northwest Branch this morning and ended up entering the water to safely remove him. At about 8:30 AM, Tuesday, February 2, 2010, Prince George’s County Firefighters, Paramedics and County Police responded to a section of the Northwest Branch at the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and Piney Branch Road in Adelphi to check on this individual. Upon arrival, the officer in charge of Chillum-Adelphi Engine 834 observed an adult male standing in the middle of the 2 – 3 foot deep, partially frozen, frigid water directly underneath the New Hampshire Avenue Bridge. Commands in English and Spanish were directed at the individual who did not respond and stood motionless in the water. A request for the Fire/EMS Departments Technical Rescue Team (TRT) was made to help in the removal of the individual.
As members of the TRT donned their cold weather gear and dry suits a request was made that police officers accompany firefighters due to the unstable and unpredictable condition of the male. The individual had never displayed his left hand and police could not determine if he was armed or not and was displaying an altered mental status. For the safety and well-being of everyone involved; 2 police officers donned cold weather gear dry suits and entered the water with the firefighters.
At about 9:30 AM, the combined rescue team of firefighters and police officers effected the removal of the male from the water and provided him to the care of paramedics. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment of hypothermia and other evaluation
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