JACKSON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Volunteers from the Sand Gap Fire Department rescued 36 people who were trapped in the Rock Lick area of Jackson County overnight Saturday into Sunday.
Jackson County Emergency Management Director Jamie Strong said county dispatch was contacted by the service that connects Apple iPhone users to emergency SOS via satellite. According to the call, there were 17 people trapped by rising water.
“We thought, ‘Well 17 people is kind of odd for something like that,’ but it was correct, and there were actually over 17 people,” Strong said.
The Sand Gap Volunteer Fire Department responded – and firefighters actually found a second group stuck that had no way to contact emergency services for help. Both groups were on side-by-side trails and had similar issues with high water levels and downed trees on the trails.
“They were trapped by water going forward, but they were trapped by the tree going backward from what I understand,” Strong shared. “The group I talked to, he said he's been riding in there all his life. I guess conditions were just right that the water was too deep ahead of him, and then the tree fell behind them and they couldn't really do anything with it.”
In total, there were 32 adults and four people under the age of 18 – including two toddlers. After the nearly 7-hour operation, everyone was safe and accounted for. Given the situation, Strong says they did the right thing by calling for help.
“Had, you know, one, the person in the lead of the group said, ‘Hey, I'm going to try (crossing) this, and everybody else tried it, it could have been a whole different weekend for a lot of people.”
As we get into warmer summer months, Strong said it's important to be prepared for whatever conditions you may face.
“The average weekend can turn bad if you don't have a plan," he said.
Not only does that mean checking weather and conditions ahead of time, but for things like trail rides, it might also include bringing along some equipment to be able to clear any obstacles that may get in the way.
“If somebody had a chainsaw, they might have been able to get back out,” he said. “It's always good to keep some supplies for such emergencies in your vehicles and on your side by sides, and I know a lot of people do.”
