A biologist was finishing up work at an Idaho river when he heard cries for help. When he realized a 10-year-old child needed help, he dove into a rushing river to save him, Idaho Fish and Game said in an Aug. 5 news release.
Wildlife officials said that on July 13, Clearwater Region Fisheries Habitat biologist Robert Hand was on the bank of the Selway River. He heard some “commotion” coming from downstream, so he went to investigate.
That’s when he realized a family had been calling for help and asking for rope to save their boy, who had been swept away in the strong current, officials said. The child was struggling in the water.
Hand told wildlife officials there wasn’t time to trek back to his truck to grab a rope or a flotation device, so he ran down the river to catch up with the boy. Then he dove into the fast-moving water and reached the child who had tired himself out from fighting the current, wildlife officials said. He pulled him to the shoreline where the two waited for his family.
Hand has been with the wildlife agency for 22 years and has gone through swift water training, officials said. Biologist Robert Hand was wrapping up his workday along the Selway River in Idaho on July 13 when he heard cries for help. The commotion downstream prompted him to investigate. He discovered a family in distress, calling for a rope to save their 10-year-old boy who had been swept away by the river’s strong current.
Realizing there was no time to fetch a rope or flotation device from his truck, Hand acted swiftly. He ran down the riverbank, keeping pace with the struggling child in the fast-moving water. Once close enough, he dove into the river, reaching the exhausted boy who had been fighting against the current.
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Hand, with his 22 years of experience at the Idaho Fish and Game and swift water training, pulled the child to the shore. There, they waited safely for the boy’s family to catch up. This quick and courageous response by Hand turned a potentially tragic situation into a successful rescue, demonstrating the importance of swift action and training in emergencies.
