Beachgoers use life ring to save 2 girls from water in Northwest Indiana
PORTER, Ind. (CBS) -- Police in Northwest Indiana are crediting quick-thinking beachgoers for saving several swimmers in distress this past weekend.
Around 6:45 p.m. this past Sunday, Porter police were called to Porter Beach on Lake Michigan for a drowning. They noticed a life ring missing from the post where it is normally kept—and beachgoers said it had been used to rescue several kids in the water.
A group of friends said they had seen a girl struggling in the water, and they banded together and pulled her to shore. While so doing, they saw another girl in the water farther west—and while a boy ran to grab the life ring, someone yelled to call the police.
The boy handed the life ring to a man, who in turn made his way to the water, and swam toward one of the girls, Porter police said.
The second girl was about 50 years from shore. Porter police Lt. Jason Holaway remained on the shore to direct emergency personnel—and saw the girl go under and then back to up to the surface. Just in the nick of the time, police said, the man with the life ring tossed it her way and pulled her safely to shore, police said.
Porter fire personnel brought both girls to the parking lot. They had come to the beach together and were reunited safely with their parents—while deciding further medical treatment was not needed, police said.
The life ring was purchased by the Porter Fire Department and installed by the Porter Street Department on May 24. This was the first time it was used, police said.
"This weekend could have ended in tragedy for two families in Northwest Indiana. However, due to the quick thinking of Good Samaritans on the beach and the availability of life-saving equipment, disaster was averted," Indiana state Sen. Rodney Pol (D-Chesterton) said in a statement. "The newly installed life ring on the beach prevented what could have been the heartbreaking loss of two young lives."
