Excerpts from nbcchciago.com:

Just before 1:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon, boaters were enjoying a day on the Fox River when a thunderstorm began to blow into the area, with gusting winds and heavy rains. The boat had been able to drop anchor, but strong winds continued to push it toward the dam. 

When firefighters arrived on the scene, a boat with three people on-board was stranded approximately 1,000 yards from the Fox River Dam. The boaters were plucked from their vessel just seconds before it crashed over the dam, and a video captured the dramatic scene.

In the wake of the incident, the fire department said that the city will implement new response measures, including keeping a rescue boat in the Fox River at all times, thus reducing the response times for first responders firefighters.

The fire department will also look to encourage boating safety, along with the St. Charles Park District, and will look for new ways to notify boaters of potentially dangerous situations on the water.