Photo credit: Atchison County Emergency Services/Facebook

 

Two Atchison County rescue technicians and two Missouri Highway Patrol troopers were recognized last week for their role in a Missouri River rescue that saved a man and two children.

According to a release from Atchison County Chief of Emergency Services Corey Scott, the honorees are Atchison County Rescue members Guy Galley, Junior, and Johnny Acheson, along with Missouri Highway Patrol Corporal Nick Greiner and Sergeant Kurt Schmutzler.

Scott says that on July 18th, Atchison County Emergency Services was on safety standby for the annual Amelia Earhart Festival, with Galley and Acheson assigned to patrol the Missouri River in Rescue Boat One.

During that patrol, a woman contacted rescue staff to report that a man and two children were in the water and in distress. Galley and Acheson responded to the area and located the victims, then developed a plan and notified the Missouri Highway Patrol boat also assigned to the event, staffed by Greiner and Schmutzler.

The release says that in a coordinated effort, all of the victims were pulled to safety, with Sergeant Schmutzler entering the water to reach one of the children.

Scott writes that due to the training, dedication, and skill of the rescue members and troopers, that family is complete today, adding that Atchison County EMS and Rescue is staffed with dedicated professionals, and that this type of effort and success is due to the whole team.