Stranded Innisfail paddler rescued on Red Deer River

An Innisfail woman has been saved by town's finest from a harrowing watery adventure that went terribly wrong.

Innisfail Fire Department Chief Gary Leith said an Innisfail woman, who was about 50-years-old, was paddling with a friend on the Red Deer River between Innisfail and Penhold when they decided to stop and rest on the river bank.

But the Innisfail woman was “swept away," said Leith.

He said his fire department received a call about the incident at about 7 p.m. on Aug. 18.

Fire rescue crews from Innisfail and Spruce View were then dispatched for a rescue.

“Her friend got out safely in Penhold but she was stranded in the middle of the Red Deer River,” said Leith. “We sent a rescue unit to west of Penhold to locate her friend and our jet boat found her on the Red Deer River, and brought her back to a vehicle in Innisfail without any injuries.”

Leith added the rescued woman was checked over by Emergency Medical Services.

He said the incident is a reminder for boaters to leave an expected start and finish time with family members or friends who can contact emergency services if they are overdue.

“And make sure you take your cellphone in a waterproof Ziploc bag,” said Leith, adding his department is frequently tasked to perform these types of rescues. “And certainly, make sure that you do some research on the expected time it takes to get from your start point to your finish point.”