Six Oakland County ice rescue calls in 7 days leads to renewed warning by sheriff

Flurry of ice rescues keep Oakland County first responders busy

A new warning Monday after first responders in Oakland County have performed numerous ice rescues in recent days.

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Oakland County sheriff deputies and first responders have been busy with six water rescues in seven days.

The backstory:

On Sunday a group of residents in Holly pulled a snowmobiler out of Bush Lake.

It is just one of the latest in a string of incidents that included a 71-year-old man on a snowmobile going through the ice on Pleasant Lake in Waterford Township on New Year's Eve.

Neighbors first went out to help. Then police, first responders and the sheriff's office.

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard who says over the last seven days they’ve been called out to six different rescues.

In the past 24 hours alone, they were called out three times, he said, pulling out everything from snowmobiles to deer to a dog, who died.

Bouchard says if you have to go out on the ice then take proper equipment.

And if you see someone go thru the ice, this is what you should do.

"Stay on shore," he said. "If you’re planning to rescue, you know, we suggest if you have a boat maybe scoot it along the ice and be in the boat. Throw something to them and pull them out rather than go to them because obviously they went in.

"So there’s a good possibility that if you go to the same area you’re going to go in as well and that doesn’t help anybody. And before you start any of that call 911."

He also says if your pet runs out there, do the same thing. You should call 911 first and if you’ve got a boat, try to use it.