Lion Lake drowning incident was unfortunate

After reading D. Birks’ comments in the July 31 Hungry Horse News about the drowning at Lion Lake on July 28, I feel the need to clear up some of the questions he asked. D. Birks was absolutely right on with what was observed and heard on scene.

Martin City Rural Fire Department and Hungry Horse Rural Fire Department were dispatched for a drowning at Lion Lake. On the way to the scene , county dispatch notified us the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office didn’t want the fire departments to take any action there as we might tamper with possible crime scene evidence.

Both fire departments were on scene within 15 minutes after being dispatched. HHRFD brought a small row boat thinking we could retrieve Mr. McPheeters with it.

At the scene, we could see Mr. McPheeters floating about the middle of Lion Lake. I and a HHRFD fireman put on life vests, and I asked a sheriff’s deputy if we could go out and get Mr. McPheeters.

The deputy said, “No, let’s be sensible about this. He’s been long dead, no rush to get him now,” and he didn’t want us tampering with crime scene evidence. He also told us we had to wait for North Valley Search and Rescue.

Believe me, being a fireman and told we had to stand down was really frustrating, as with you, D. Birks, and others at the scene and looking on.

I’m not sure what the standard operating procedures are with the Sheriff’s Office or NVSAR in this type of situation. I do know being a fireman we’re trying to give aid and assistance to anyone safely and in timely manner.

I’m not sure who made the call that Mr. McPheeters was dead and didn’t need rescuing, I do know MCRFD and HHRFD were there, ready and willing to help. We could have had Mr. McPheeters back on shore long before NVSAR arrived.

Maybe the rules need to be changed when dispatching a fire department in situations like this. We should have been allowed to help. With training in fire, extrication and medical, we know what our limits are.

I hope this helps to explain some of the actions or non-actions that occurred on that day. In the Hungry Horse News and Daily Inter Lake, Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry stated Mr. McPheeters was very dead and there was no rush to bring him to shore for resuscitation efforts.

Maybe, this boils down to one thing. This didn’t look good in the public’s eye for either the Sheriff’s Office or fire departments. Our condolences to the McPheeters family.

Tom Meskimen is the Martin City Rural Fire Department assistant fire chief.