DETROIT (WXYZ) — A crew of boaters typically known for helping to deliver mail to mariners on the Detroit River is being hailed as heroes once again after helping to save a fisherman over the weekend.
The J.W. Westcott has been delivering mail and other items to mariners crossing the Detroit River since 1874.
Because a boat captain and deckhand are on the boat for 24 hours per day, seven days a week for around 250 days each year, they say they often are the first to see when boaters or swimmers get into trouble on the water.
On July 12, the crew on board the vessel helped to save a worker who fell off the Ambassador Bridge. Surveillance video captured bystanders banging on the office door of J.W. Westcott to alert the crew that someone had fallen 150 feet into the river. The crew immediately jumped into action, getting to the critically injured worker within two minutes and pulling him to safety.
"Usually, it’s something that happens spur of the moment. We usually train with man overboard drills," Capt. James Hogan of the rescue said.
Hogan says while it's not a part of their job description, many people may be surprised to learn how often the crew helps pull straggling swimmers or boaters to safety on the river.
The crew says tools that are meant to be used in case of an emergency with one of their crew members like life jackets, life preservers and a tool called "Jacob's Cradle" come in handy when disaster strikes for others on the river.
"Every now and then, you’ll get dogs in the water, bodies that just kind of float up, sadly, and, you know, other people that have had unfortunate accidents happen," Hogan said.
Hogan says last Tuesday, the crew was able to help the Detroit Fire Department pull a floating body from the water. Then this past weekend, the crew pulled a fisherman to safety after he went overboard.
The crew says although they’re not expected to take the place of first responders, they’re happy to lend a helping hand.
"You just start to notice things in the water and you’re like that’s not normal. You go to check it out because sometimes it isn’t. Just like the head of a person that’s trying to keep afloat," Hogan said. "We do what we can with what we got."
