Drone helps in ice rescue near Beaver Dam

DODGE COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) - A man who fell through the ice near Beaver Dam early Tuesday morning was able to pull himself out of the water but needed rescue to make it back to shore.

Dodge County dispatchers received a 911 call at 5:37 A.M. The person who called wasn’t communicating. The call was traced to Beaver Dam Lake, about 200 yards off shore from the Fish Camp boat landing west of Sunset Bay Dr.

Dispatchers finally made contact with the caller 9 minutes later. A man said he fell through the ice by an ice heave. He was out but couldn’t make it off the lake.

A Dodge County deputy used a drone to locate the man and kept an eye on him while the Beaver Dam Fire/Rescue launched a hovercraft. They had the man back on shore by 6:11 A.M. Paramedics treated him for hypothermia. He declined to be transported to the hospital.