A kayaker in Faulkner County was forced to climb a tree and await rescue after falling into the high waters of a creek Tuesday night, officials said.
The Wooster County Fire Department was dispatched to a water rescue on the East Fork Cadron Creek, east of Arkansas 25, shortly before 7:30 p.m., according to a Facebook post by the department.
A pair of kayakers were floating down the creek when one slipped into a current that swept him into a pile of trees, said Keith Hillman, commander of the Faulkner County Emergency Squad, which also responded to the call. According to officials, the kayaker, 28, then climbed into a tree while the other kayaker got to shore and called for help.
Both the Conway Fire Department and the Faulkner County Emergency Squad launched boats during the rescue, and the man was returned to shore, according to a report by the Conway department. He was treated by Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services and released, Hillman said.
According to the commander, the victim’s only injuries were that he was “cold and tired.”
Hillman said the creek was especially dangerous due to recent rain. With 6.5 inches of rainfall this week, the creek’s surface was roughly 15 feet above flood level and flowed more quickly than normal, the commander reported.
Hillman said this was the fourth rescue his agency conducted so far this week.
Chief Mike Winter of the Conway Fire Department said this isn’t the first time something similar has happened.
“I’m sure high water is enticing [to canoers or kayakers] because it’s moving quite rapidly,” Winter said. “But as we all know, swift water is deadly water.”
Winter said it was fortunate that the rescue resulted in a happy ending, but he said he hopes news of kayaker’s plight will get people to “think twice next time.”