The Norwalk Fire Department responded to a report of two people in a kayak in distress. At 10:37a.m. Sunday morning Norwalk combined dispatched received a 911 call from a resident reporting that two people were aboard a small kayak trying to chop through the ice to make it back to shore.
The caller stated that the people appeared to be in distress and where about 75 to 100 feet off shore near the Marvin beach area.
The Norwalk Fire Department was dispatched and responded with their 38-foot boat, which has the capabilities to break through ice and has a heated cabin to warm up any patients if needed.
Find out what's happening in Norwalkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The boat was underway within ten minutes of the initial call and made contact with the kayakers at 11:01a.m.
The firefighters observed the kayakers attempting to break through ice which was 1 to 2 inches thick in places.
Find out what's happening in Norwalkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Both kayakers were in good health but did not have any protective gear with them and were dressed in street clothes with no extra thermal value. The air temperature was in the 20’s, water temperature was 32 degrees with freezing drizzle.
In these condition hypothermia could set in and loss of dexterity would occur in under 2 minutes and unconsciousness in under 15 minutes.
Both kayakers were taken aboard the boat and brought to shore in good condition. The Norwalk fire boat was back in service at 11:36a.m. This boat is ready to responded 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, staffed with firefighters from the East Norwalk Fire Station.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
