LEHIGH COUNTY, PA – Rescuers from multiple fire companies worked together to search for a missing woman along the Lehigh River in North Whitehall Township. At 8:25 PM on Wednesday, May 26, Lehigh County 9-1-1 dispatched Stations 12 (Laurys Station), 22 (Schnecksville), 67 (Northern Valley EMS), North Whitehall Rescue and Northampton County Station 47 (Lehigh Township) to the Treichlers Bridge on Route 145 for a swift water rescue.
Engine 1211 was the first unit responding and was advised they were going to be looking for a female in her 50s who was last seen in a blue canoe on the Lehigh River. Family members stated they then found the canoe capsized under the bridge with the female no where to be found.
1211 arrived on scene with Assistant Chief 1202 and assumed Laurys Command. Crews from 1211 and Attack 1271 proceeded to the river bank to begin a search on foot.
Lehigh Twp. Chief 4751 arrived on the scene and a command post was set up on Cove Drive. Additional resources were requested from the Whitehall Fire Department and Northampton Fire Department for their boats and water rescue personnel. Station 16 (Neffs) was requested for additional manpower.
As the additional resources arrived on scene, teams were sent out to search the banks of the river on foot. Whitehall’s boats were launched from the area of Cementon and sent North while Northampton was launched further North and sent downstream. An additional boat was launched from underneath the Treichlers bridge.
As the hours passed crews reported hearing the voice of a woman but the source was unfounded. An intoxicated male tried to assist rescuers by jumping off a damn into the river and began to be swept away by the water. The additional rescuer was able to get out of the water unharmed and unassisted.
Due to the time of day and darkness rapidly approaching, Command requested the availability of helicopters to join in the search effort. PennStar 5 and a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter both flew to the scene to assist.
After hours of searching with no leads, command requested that 9-1-1 contact all local hospitals and verify if anyone matching the description had been admitted.
Around 1:00 AM, command decided to call off the search for the evening. Crews began to break down and load their equipment back on their rigs. Command requested the search begin again at 8:30 AM on Thursday.
