Response to sunken boat appreciated
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Editor,
As most of you know, in the early morning hours of Aug. 15, we had quite the wind and rainstorm in Polson. I arrived to work early on Wednesday morning to find our boat upside down, smashed to pieces in the Flathead River. So the work began. The first call we made was to dispatch, and Steve Stanley with the Lake County Office of Emergency Management responded. Steve arrived on scene within 15 minutes and walked us through on how to proceed in the mess that lay ahead.
Within an hour, Steve was towing our boat across the Flathead River to the boat launch at the fairgrounds after receiving permission (thanks to fair board member UnaRose Graham for answering her phone and later checking on us). Waiting for us at the boat launch to assist in any way necessary was Dale Nelson of the CSKT Department of Emergency Services.
As we know, news travels fast, and John Stevens of the Polson Police Department arrived along with my uncle Boyd Vandeberg. They both were a great help in picking up the pieces and helping in any way they could.
Another call we made during this time was to Dave Jensen with Jensen Backhoe. He had been working on another job in town but headed right down to the boat launch to see what piece of equipment they needed to retrieve the boat from the water. A short time later, the scene was quite impressive, with the submerged vessel being coaxed from the water to dry land by a chain attached to the front-end loader.
We kept reminding ourselves that it is just a boat and are so grateful no one was hurt. And to feel the support provided from all aspects made this loss much more bearable. We may have left some folks out, but honestly the day is a bit of a blur. Thanks to all for organization, coordination and support offered by the responders. Yes, it is a boat, which seems inconsequential in comparison to the support of the community on that morning. Thanks so much.
Brandy and Heidi Sturm
Polson
