Firefighters rescue 3 women stranded on small island after raft deflated along Chattahoochee

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Cobb County’s swift water rescue team came to the aid of three women after the raft they were floating on Wednesday afternoon, suddenly went flat.

“The water level is incredibly low right now. The raft made contact with some rocks and ended up deflating,” Cobb County Fire and Rescue Lt. Stephen Bennett said.

Bennett told Channel 2′s Tom Regan that the women became disoriented when they walked onto Powers Island, north of Interstate 285. They became anxious and called 911.

“They weren’t in any precarious situation, but they were lost. They didn’t know where they needed to go,” Bennett said.

Because of the low water level in the Chattahoochee River, the rescue team had to use a raft to help get the women instead of a boat.

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They arrived soon after the emergency call came in.

“The crew wound up inflating a raft, floated down and loaded the ladies into the raft, took them a half mile down the river, and walked them out,” Bennett said.

Bennett said the swiftwater rescue team answers calls on drownings about two times a year. He encourages everyone to wear a life jacket while on the river.

“Always wear a life jacket, whether you’re tubing, rafting or even swimming. There are stations with life jackets hanging on them so if you don’t have one, take one of those and return it later.’ said Bennett.

Bennett also advised against swimming in the river due to high levels of bacteria.

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