Tim Olk was in Grayslake yesterday as divers searched for a missing boater and submitted a few images from the scene.
Grayslake Fire Dept 4th Alarm Side Scan Sonar Box And 3rd Alarm Divers Box Gages Lake
Divers and several boats search for a missing man in Grayslake. Tim Olk photo
Multiple fire department dive teams assembled to assist the Grayslake Fire Department. Tim Olk photo
Divers enter the search area from a boat. Tim Olk photo
The Chicago Tribune reported that:
Divers pulled a body from Gages Lake at about 3:20 p.m. in the area where they had been looking for a swimmer who had gone missing late Monday night, an official said.
John Christian, chief of Grayslake Fire Protection District, said the body was found in the middle of the lake in about 40 feet of water – the same area where crews had been using sonar throughout the day looking for the missing man.
Lake County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Sgt. Karen Kates said the missing man was 44, and lived in Lake County. But authorities have not identified the body as that of the man they had been searching for.
Crews were used sonar this morning to search Gages Lake in unincorporated Grayslake for signs of a man who jumped off a pontoon boat Monday night and has not been seen since, Christian said.
A man swam up to a resident who lives on the lake at about 9:30 p.m. Monday and said he was looking for a friend of his, Christian said. Rescue crews searched the surface of the lake until about midnight. Authorities also confirmed that it does not appear the missing man swam to another shore of the lake. The search resumed at about 5:30 a.m. with sonar.
“It appears they were swimming off the boat and the boat got away from them,” Christian said.
The complete article and video footage is HERE.
Thanks Chris
The Countryside Fire Protection District received calls Monday afternoon reporting a car accident at the intersection of Lakeview Parkway and North Fairway Drive in Vernon Hills. Witnesses said that one of the vehicles drove into a nearby retention pond and that the driver was still inside the vehicle. Divers were dispatched from the Libertyville Fire Department and the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District.
The roof and luggage rack of an SUV are visible in the middle of a retention pond at Lakeview Parkway and North Fairview Drive in Vernon Hills. Larry Shapiro photo
The driver was able to get out of the submerged vehicle and was sitting on the car’s roof when firefighters arrived. He reportedly made it out of the water with assistance from several passersby. Both drivers were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
Fire department divers from Libertyville prepare to enter the water. Larry Shapiro photo
Divers went into the water to secure the SUV for Ernie’s Wrecker Service who was on the scene to remove both vehicles.
Divers secure a strap to the car so it can be winched out of the water. Larry Shapiro photo
An overview of the pond in relation to the intersection where the collision occurred. Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro submitted several images from the scene and a short video. More images can be viewed HERE and HERE.
The SUV is pulled from the water. Larry Shapiro photo
The Libertyville Dive Squad. Larry Shapiro photo
The other vehicle involved in the accident. Larry Shapiro photo
A firefighter washes off the dive gear. Larry Shapiro photo
The new dive team unit for the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods FPD. Larry Shapiro photo
A dog belonging to a Buffalo Grove resident went into a small lake off of Fremont Way in the Crossings subdivision on Saturday and perished. Buffalo Grove firefighters attempted to locate the dog but were unsuccessful. Buffalo Grove divers went back on Thursday with additional divers from Long Grove and Lincolnshire-Riverwoods plus the Lake County Sonar Team. After several hours of searching the area, they were unable to recover the dog and suspended the operation.
Larry Shapiro and Tim Olk went to photograph the recovery efforts and submitted several images.
The information on the board outlines the specifics of the recovery operation. Larry Shapiro photo
Firefighters carry a boat to the edge of the lake for the dive operation. Larry Shapiro photo
A member of the Lake County Sonar Team drills through the ice to insert the sonar unit. Larry Shapiro photo
An inflatable boat is pulled towards the dive area to be used as a work platform for tenders. Larry Shapiro photo
Another view as the dive tenders make their way across the water. Tim Olk photo
A diver receives assistance in preparing to go into the water. Larry Shapiro photo
A diver is helped out onto the solid ice and walks towards the opening where he will enter the water. Larry Shapiro photo
Members of the sonar team view an image of the lake and search for targets. Larry Shapiro photo
The image from the sonar shows the diver and several items which could be the dog. Larry Shapiro photo
After entering the icy water, a diver waits for the order to begin his search. Larry Shapiro photo
Several members of the sonar team review the images from the sonar device looking for a target. Tim Olk photo
As one diver is in the water, a second stands by on the ice and a third is ready to go from the shoreline in the event of an emergency. Tim Olk photo
After spending the maximum time allowed under water, a diver is assisted out of the water by another diver in a cold weather suit. Larry Shapiro photo
Larry has additional images HERE and Tim has more images HERE.
Tim Olk submitted the following images of the recovery efforts at Gillson Park in Wilmette last night.
Chicago helicopter 6-8-2 flies overhead in an effort to spot the missing swimmer. Tim Olk photo
Evanston Fire Department divers are met with rough waves as they search for the swimmer. Tim Olk photo
Divers scan the area from the breakwater in addition to others woking in the water. Tim Olk photo
Divers receive instructions from the dive master on the beach regarding the search efforts. Tim Olk photo
An Evanston diver riding a sled pulled by the waverunner is ready to enter the water if they find the lost swimmer. Tim Olk photo
Divers are also stationed on the southern breakwater bounding the area where the swimmer was last seen. Tim Olk photo
The rescue/recovery operation took place over an hour at dusk in Lake Michigan off the beach at Gillson Park near the Wilmette/Evanston border. Tim Olk photo
A Wilmette diver rests after searching in the choppy waters for an hour. Tim Olk photo
The swimmer was found roughly an hour into the rescue operation and was attended to by several paramedics. He was transported from the beach to a waiting Wilmette Fire Department ambulance on a 6x6 ATV and then transported to Evanston Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Tim Olk photo
Tim has a gallery with more images HERE.
Aug 27
updated 9:30PM
The Wilmette Fire Department received a call before 6PM this evening about a swimmer in Lake Michigan who was caught in the heavy currents and disappeared new Gillson Park. When the fire department arrived, they requested divers from throughout Division 3 plus the Coast Guard and a helicopter from the Chicago FIre Department. The helicopter was initially unavailable as Chicago had a rescue of their own in progress. The helicopter was able to make one pass over the area before returning to Midway Airport to refuel.
Chicago Fire Department Helicopter 6-8-2 makes a pass over the lakefront in Wilmette trying to spot a swimmer that was in distress. Jeff Rudolph photo
The water was deemed to choppy for divers, so firefighters walked the breakwater and into the surf looking for signs of the swimmer. Evanston responded with their jet skis which enabled divers to venture into the lake. The swimmer’s body was spotted by firefighters walking the beach after more than an hour on-scene, and the jet skis were used to bring the swimmer’s body to shore.
Fire department divers in swift water gear walk in the waters off the beach in Wilmette searching for a missing swimmer. Jeff Rudolph photo
Divers wade through rough waves as others walk the breakwater looking for a swimmer who was overcome by the current. Jeff Rudolph photo
Tim Olk and Jeff Rudolph were on the scene and photographed the operation.
Jeff Rudolph provided the following description:
At the Wilmette Code 4 and dive box at Gillson Park today, a 15 year old male was pulled under by a strong current. Conditions where too severe to put divers under the water, so instead they did walking patterns using pike poles to locate the victim. After 1.5 hrs, the victim was spotted in the surf break by a spotter on shore. The victim was pulled out unresponsive. ALS care was started on the beach and the patient was transported up to Wilmette Ambulance 27. Medics from Wilmette, Deerfield, and Skokie worked on the victim and transported him to Evanston Hospital where he was pronounced. The waverunners used belong to the Evanston FD. Chicago FD Air 1 assisted with an overhead look, but the churned up water was to murkey to see anything.
The Evanston Fire Department wave runner tows a diver along the shoreline in Wilmette on Saturday. Jeff Rudolph photo
A staging officer manages resources as they arrive at Gillson Park to assist the Wilmette Fire Department with rescuing a swimmer in distress. Jeff Rudolph photo
The Chicago Tribune has an article HERE.
A 14-year-old boy died after being pulled from Lake Michigan this evening off of Gillson Park in Wilmette.
The search began sometime after 6 p.m. in the water off the beach near Sheridan Road and MichiganAvenue in the North Shore suburb, and the search ended about 7 p.m. when a male of unknown age was pulled from the water.
A witness saw officials pull the person from the water and put him onto a stretcher while performing CPR. The person was then placed into a Wilmette fire ambulance and taken from the scene.
Wilmette Battalion 26 took command of the scene. Jeff Rudolph photo
Wilmette Squad 26 carries gear for the department divers. Jeff Rudolph photo
Glencoe divers responded with Ambulance 30. Jeff Rudolph photo
The Des Plaines Fire Department Dive Squad 78 and boat. Jeff Rudolph photo
Shortly after 3PM on Weddnesday, Prospect Heights received a 9-1-1 call from a motorist who claimed to see two children in a pond near the Prospect Heights Public Works building in the 500 block of Piper Lane. Police arrived and found an unattended bicycle and no children in the area. Prospect Heights divers and firefighters responded, and upon seeing no children in the area requested a response from all on-duty MABAS Division 3 divers and neighboring mutual-aid divers so that the murky pond could be checked in the event that their were missing children.
A bicycle that might belong to a missing child is seen near a pond which divers are searching in the event that a child has drowned. Larry Shapiro photo
Wheeling Fire Department divers suit up to assist divers from Prospect Heights search a pond where two children were reportedly seen in the water. Larry Shapiro photo
Divers responded from Wheeling, Long Grove, Deerfield, Northbrook, Wilmette, North Maine, Glenview, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, Highwood, and Winnetka. Ambulances on the scene were from Arlington Heights and Mount Prospect.
Divers and support personnel check their equipment before the divers enter the water. Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro and Tim Olk were at the scene and Larry submitted several images.
Several divers went into the water as did a boat with side-scan Kongsberg sonar capable of mapping the pond floor. There was some question as to exactly what was seen by the 9-1-1 caller, and after searching the pond for an hour and examining several images mapped by the sonar, the searches were terminated.
The sonar unit is lowered into the water where the diver will make the necessary adjustments for depth before it can begin to create a map of the pond's bottom. Larry Shapiro photo
Wheeling Fire Department divers responded to Prospect Heights with Dive Rescue 23 and a boat. Larry Shapiro photo
Northbrook Dive Rescue 10 responded with divers and the MABAS Division 3 side-scan soar. Larry Shapiro photo
A gallery with more images can be viewed HERE.
Mar 24
The pond on the north side of the Harper College campus where a car was found submerged. Larry Shapiro photo
The Palatine Fire Department was called shortly after noon this afternoon for a reported car in a pond on the Harper College campus. Companies arrived to find only the roof visible of a submerged car with the passenger door open. Divers entered the water and found a woman in the car. She was removed and transported to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights where she was later pronounced dead. The Chicago Tribune has an article HERE and the Daily Herald has one HERE.
A backup diver is ready to enter the water if the primary diver requires assistance while searching the pond at Harper College for additional victims. Larry Shapiro photo
Fire department divers from Palatine, Hoffman Estates, and Schaumburg searched the area for over an hour in the event that there were additional occupants in the car when it entered the water. Elk Grove, Arlington Heights, and Mt. Prospect divers were also on-scene in the event that more personnel were needed. After assisting the police with measurements for their investigation, divers hooked the car so that it could be winched from the water.
A Schaumburg Fire Department diver prepares to perform a secondary search into the submerged car. Larry Shapiro photo
This is from the Harper College website:
News Alert: Shortly before noon on Thursday, March 24, 2011 a car was discovered submerged in a pond next to Parking Lot 12 on the Harper College campus in Palatine, IL. Divers recovered one female occupant of the car who was taken to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights and pronounced dead.
The victim has not been identified. The investigation is being handled jointly by the Harper College Police Department, the Palatine Police Department and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Officer.
One diver walks the shore as two are submerged checking the area for additional victims. Larry Shapiro phoyo
Larry Shapiro was at the scene and submitted several images plus a video of the winch out. A large gallery of images from the scene can be found HERE.
Palatine Engine 84 supplies water to the Division 1 Decon unit. Each diver that went into the murky water was processed through the decon showers. Larry Shapiro photo
The Saturn sedan after it was winched out of the pond by Redmons Towing. Larry Shapiro photo
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
