On 5-20-09 got a call from an Occupant 1 about a boat accident on the Pigeon River west of Howe.  He advised that he and his friends were canoeing and the boat capsized and they were in the middle of the river on a log jam.  Officer 1 and myself responded to the scene.
   I arrived and picked up Occupant 1 along SR 9 south of the river and got a location on the others.  We could drive most of the way to their location while I started back Officer 1 got EMS and Howe Fire en route to the scene.  We got to the area where the other subjects where on the log jam and I checked if everyone was ok.  They were they were just cold and I advised as soon as we got people there we would get them out.
   Officer 1 and the firemen arrived with their rescue suits and we set up for the rescue.  The firemen with a line tied to them swam out and brought one individual back each trip.  The three were an Occupant 2 of Leo a Occupant 3 of Lagrange and a Occupant 4 also of Lagrange.  They were all suffering from hypothermia and checked out by EMS  after they were transported out to SR 9. Only the Occupant 2 subject had to be transported to Hospital and she was treated for dehydration and sun burns then released.  The others had been warmed in my commission and then in the fire department rescue unit so they were released at the scene.
   I interviewed the subjects and they advised that they were trying to maneuver around the log jam when they were pushed by the current up against it.  The canoe at that time rolled and they all got thrown into the water so they climbed onto the log jam.  Occupant 1 ended up swimming to shore and walking out to SR 9 were he had a motorist call the Sheriff's Department.  
   The subject had no life jackets on the watercraft and there were 4 people in the canoe, plus the water was high at the time.  We were assisted by the Fire Dept., EMS and Co. Sheriff.
Howe                          