The Power Of 1 Unit

[Brian K. Shaffer]

Sunday August 30th, 2pm

The horn blew.

' What ? ' on a Sunday ? They never run water on Sunday ?!?! So I left my favorite spot after hooking up quite a few times over with my foam beetle. On my way towards the car.. I pictured the water that flows thru a special little spot with 1 unit running on the other side of the island. So I crossed the dam and drove down as if I was going to the ' rocking chair ' hole... but turned in to the rebar hole parking instead. This is the turn around on the other side of the river if you are standing in the rebar stretch. I scrambled down the bank and surveyed the water, which had yet to make it thru the slew I wanted to fish. As I looked around, I noticed a fella standing below the big inverted fallen tree trunk below rebar. He wasnt standing near it though.. he was below it about 20 feet behind a mess of tree roots. He was not fishing... he was stuck.

I anchored my fly to the hook keep and began walking towards him.

I watched as he was eyeing the bank I was on... and he acted as if he was wanting to make a move to the bank.. and I yelled at him to stop, because he would have never made it. It deepens up out in the middle there pretty good. So I yelled " Are you stuck ? " He was having trouble hearing me because the water was rushing besides him on both sides. What didnt help was that now the water was flowing thru the slew... which raises the depth. So I told him to try and walk out right then - towards the other bank below chute 3. I had to point .. cause he couldnt hear me .. for him to walk towards the other bank. Using the finger walking motion with my hands and pointing towards the other side of the river.

It really wasnt pretty to watch him try. Clearly, the water was above belly button high then, and he was trying to make his way away from the root fallen trees mess he was standing behind (kind of like standing behind a big rock.. he was in the protective swirl around eddy). It was kind of as if he couldnt break away from that spot. If he tried.. he was just in too strong of water to plant a foot.

I yelled for him to stop ... STOP trying to cross, and I mean, I was really yelling.

I hollered that I was going to call inside and get them to shut the water off. He couldnt hear me. So I made the ringy dingy phone to ear motion and then pointed toward the water and then pointed down. I think he understood me cause he did stop trying. So I got in my truck and drove to the dam overlook to get reception.... called inside the powerhouse, told the nice lady that someone was very much stuck and she said she would turn it off. I laugh now because I remember her saying - ' Well, how stuck is he ? ' .. and I believe I said.. he will be swimming in a few minutes. She told me she was going to turn it off... and it took around 8-10 minutes for the water to stop. I stayed up there at the lookout.. where I could clearly see the guy... and he wasnt moving yet. Finally the water stopped flowing and reached him without the current it had. So I jumped in the truck and drove acrossed to make sure he was getting out OK. When I walked down the TU stairs he was just making it out from the waters edge. He was full of water.. like middle thigh deep. He looked kinda like he had Michelin man legs.. and he waddled up to right above chute 3... that's where I met him face to face.

He was shivering.. and was clearly shaken up a little. I told him to lay down on the rocks and point his feet up ... which did drain all (most) of the water from out of his stockingfoot chest wader feet. His hand was really cold when I shook it... and he said thanks.

As we walked out.. I asked him if he had read the sign. He did say he glanced at it.. and he knew the horn meant something.. but he didnt expect the water to come up that fast.

It was his first time here.

His name is Shawn and he is driving home tonight to wherever he lives.. safely. Alive.

Brian Shaffer

[jjtroutbum]

Good Job Mr. Schaffer I don't think that many people would have been able to help like you did. I don't have that number and am glad the person on the line was able to help.

RESPECT the horn. Some my fear it(Ducky) but all should RESPECT it not just hate(me) it. When It blows as soon as I find my pattern.

[laker67]

He was extremely lucky that someone was paying attention and knew what to do. Well done Brian!

[Evolution]

Good Job, Sir. He should have bought you dinner instead but something will come into your favor someday.

[DoveTail]

Nice job, he was very lucky you were there and had the heads up to call the generation to stop the water.

[Bird Watcher]

incredible. Lucky guy.

[Phil Lilley]

I told Brian he was the hand of God yesterday. No one else could have called inside the powerhouse- I don't even keep that number in my phone. But because he has called, made friends with the people in the powerhouse over the years, he and he alone had the number and knew who to call. It would have taken him 10 minutes to drive to the other side of the lake and even then, might not had gotten to the powerhouse to tell the controller. He could have signaled them by using the emergency phone at outlet number two but even then, it might have been too late.

Few of us are given second chances. Clearly, this angler was given one. If anyone else would have been in Brian's place, that guy would have been dead today.

Give Brian a deserving pat on the back... give God the glory for another day because everyday is a gift from Him.

[rainbow]

I told Brian he was the hand of God yesterday. No one else could have called inside the powerhouse- I don't even keep that number in my phone. But because he has called, made friends with the people in the powerhouse over the years, he and he alone had the number and knew who to call. It would have taken him 10 minutes to drive to the other side of the lake and even then, might not had gotten to the powerhouse to tell the controller. He could have signaled them by using the emergency phone at outlet number two but even then, it might have been too late.

Few of us are given second chances. Clearly, this angler was given one. If anyone else would have been in Brian's place, that guy would have been dead today.

Give Brian a deserving pat on the back... give God the glory for another day because everyday is a gift from Him.

Amen to that.

[Micheal Kyle]

Great job Brian.

Maybe he should post the number to the power house. I can say I don't have it I know there is a phone up there at the stairs but if every body had it in thier phones it might save someone. Just as Brian did!

Again great job Brian

[Zack Hoyt]

Water is nothing to mess with. Brian, my hat is off to you. I have taken a few swift water rescue classes and they are very good knowledge to have. More than teaching you what to do incase of an emergency, they teach you the true power of water. It is very easy to mis-step on river beds as is.....add flowing water to that and it is almost a given.

I recommend all fishing clubs and canoe/floating organizations to attend swiftwater rescue courses or have a member of the local search and rescue come speak. Most people dont know how to properly wade, or even how to float down stream if you do fall.

It comes down to the fact you are not only endangering yourself. Brian could have easily mistepped on the bank and fallen in, just due to the fact he was concentrating on the guy in the water and not where he stepped. You put anyone and everyone who might try to help you at risk. saving someone from highwater is a very risky en devour. Is it really worth one or two more fish vs. the rest of your life?