Body camera video shows police rescue man from Massachusetts swamp after 7 hours
Police body camera video shows the successful rescue of a young man who was stranded in a swampy area of Somerset, Massachusetts on Sunday.
This was a tall task for police, working in difficult terrain to bring the 19-year-old home before the heat wave. Time was against police who pushed through thick swampy reeds and waist deep wetlands.
The wild scene played out on police body cam video as officer Brenan Cardoza rushed to rescue a young man stranded in the swamps for about seven hours. But there was a sigh of relief from the 19-year-old when police reached him.
"Muddy, nasty area where you wouldn't want to be," said Officer Cardoza. "It was difficult to see, I had to call out for the gentleman. We were able to basically talk back and forth to each other, that was able to get me going in the right direction toward him."
His family told police he went for a walk without his cellphone, then somehow got lost. The 19-year-old's cries for help are what neighbors heard who also called police.
Drone used to locate man
While offers were on the ground, Officer Paul Trenholme had a viewpoint from the sky using a drone, playing a pre-recorded message on a speaker to pinpoint the lost young man's location.
"I sent the drone back out and I let the individual know that we had officers in the woods, to keep calling out and that just played over and over and then as he called out our officers were able to pinpoint and triangulate his position and locate him," said Officer Trenholme.
Investigators found him disoriented and dehydrated. It was a great outcome for a challenging rescue mission.
"Used the drone in quite a few search and rescue missions. Thankfully, this was successful. Lately they have not been successful," said Officer Trenholme.
"We didn't do anything that any other police officer wouldn't have done," added Officer Cardoza.
The drone also helped officers, and the young man find a safe path out of the woods towards home.
Officers say when you're out walking, don't forget your cellphone, stay hydrated, and always tell people where you're going.
