Aug. 28, 2023 noon; Updated at 4:45p with additional detail
(WGTD)---Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Colin Coultrip doesn’t want to understate the seriousness of the situation in an incident Sunday in which two off-duty deputies rescued three people in Lake Michigan. Coultrip calls it a near-death experience for all involved.
Deputies Kelsey Schwuchow and Christopher Bischoff were at Simmons Island with friends and family when they spotted two kids in trouble in water well over their heads about 60 yards offshore.
A Beach Hazards Statement for high waves and strong currents had been in effect. At the time, waves were 3-4 feet.
The deputies, along with the juveniles’ mother, jumped in to swim out to the kids. They were able to reach them, but the strong current started to pull everyone away from the shore.
According to Coultrip, the two deputies had to let go of the kids for a few moments to catch their own breath, and they told the woman to focus on staying afloat herself by lying on her back. "Deputy Schwuchow instructed the mother how to float on her back and comforted her by stating she would be back for her," Coultrip said in a news release. "After reaching shore with the juveniles, Deputy Schwuchow went back into Lake Michigan and was able to safely pull the mother to land as well."
Waiting on shore was Tim Martin, an off-duty Kenosha firefighter who was on the phone to 911 dispatchers and was directing the rescue effort.
The deputies, both of whom had ingested water, were taken to the hospital as a precaution then released.
Coultrip said one deputy had a scheduled day off Monday, while the other was given light desk duty in order to fully recover.
-0-