High winds send ‘floaters’ into Canada

CCG helping floaters

Multiple agencies from Canada and the U.S. teamed up to assist people who were blown ashore by high winds during this year’s Port Huron Float Down.

Sarnia Police officials say at approximately 4 p.m. on August 21, the Sarnia Police Service started receiving calls regarding individuals who were in need of assistance on the St. Clair River.

The people requiring help are members of the annual event which sees thousands of people “float down” the St. Clair River on various types of floatation devices.

FD person in water

The floaters started at Lighthouse Park in Port Huron, Michigan.

Due to high winds of approximately 40 kms per hour coming out of the Northwest, many of them were pushed toward the Canadian side of the river. This, along with cooler water and weather conditions, left many in need of assistance.

This was occurring all along the St. Clair River from Sarnia all the way down to Corunna and surrounding areas.

Hundreds of people were being assisted by the Sarnia Police Service, Sarnia Fire Department, Lambton EMS, Ontario Provincial Police, Canada Customs and Border Agency, RCMP and Canada Coastguard water units, Sarnia Transit, Canadian Red Cross, security and fire personnel from the various chemical and petro-chemical plants that border the St. Clair River, and members of the general public.

Sarnia Police would like to thank all of the agencies involved in the rescue effort, especially Sarnia Transit, who transported approximately 1,500 US Citizens back to the American side of the border.

Only minor injuries were reported to the Sarnia Police Service.

The Canadian Coast Guard and partner agencies provided on-water emergency assistance during the Float Down event on the St. Clair River Sunday August 21 2016. The Canadian Coast Guard and all partners worked very hard to ensure public safety and to assist those in immediate danger throughout this unsanctioned event.

Sarnia Police officials say city work crews continue to clean up the debris left along the waterfront as a result of this event.

The Sarnia Police Service is not anticipating any further Police involvement in this incident.

“Again, thank you to all who participated in this coordinated effort to ensure the safety of all the participants who were involved.”


Photo credit: The Canadian Coast Guard 

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