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The water was 34 degrees and dive team members searched for hours during a Southwest City call in late January.
They were looking for 9-year-old Grace Coday who fell through the ice in a sledding accident. Her brother, Joseph, 12, was pulled from the water after only an hour, but the divers couldn’t find Grace. The water was so cold they were spending 15 minutes searching and an hour sitting in the ambulances warming back up before suiting up to get back in the frigid water. They used hot coffee to loosen their gear from the frozen ground.
“We were not able to put our own masks on because it was too cold,” said Newton County Search and Rescue board member Grady Weston.
On Friday afternoon local legislators recognized the dive team for their recent rescue efforts.
Rep. Bill Reiboldt and Rep. Bill Lant presented a proclamation to the Newton County Search and Rescue Team Friday afternoon at the Seneca Area Chamber of Commerce for their efforts to rescue the Coday children this January and the eight people who were stranded in Spring River atop their partially submerged SUV during winter storms in early February.
Chief Justin Weston thanked those present for the recognition.
“It’s quite the shock,” he said. “We hide away in our little corner and we go when we’re needed. To actually be honored is a shock. It’s not ever happened.”
Usually they arrive, leave and the community may never even know they were there, he said.
“Unfortunately it’s times like this, when we end up out in front of people’s eyes, is when they’re at their worst that’s when we’ve got to shine,” he said.
The photo on a set of laminated awards was of the Spring River event, but the team members’ hearts were still with the Southwest City family.
While the crew always hopes to help save a life they did not plan to leave the scene of the accident until they found the girl.
“We were there to get closure for the family,” said Grady Weston.
Dan LaDue said the dive was cold and dark.
“You’re diving in cream coffee,” he said.
The first pass they didn’t find Grace, but on the second time through the water they found her. The crew said they were thankful there were only two victims.
Calls for help have increased and each year they head up more searches. Last year they had 30 calls.
The water was 34 degrees and dive team members searched for hours during a Southwest City call in late January.
They were looking for 9-year-old Grace Coday who fell through the ice in a sledding accident. Her brother, Joseph, 12, was pulled from the water after only an hour, but the divers couldn’t find Grace. The water was so cold they were spending 15 minutes searching and an hour sitting in the ambulances warming back up before suiting up to get back in the frigid water. They used hot coffee to loosen their gear from the frozen ground.
“We were not able to put our own masks on because it was too cold,” said Newton County Search and Rescue board member Grady Weston.
On Friday afternoon local legislators recognized the dive team for their recent rescue efforts.
Rep. Bill Reiboldt and Rep. Bill Lant presented a proclamation to the Newton County Search and Rescue Team Friday afternoon at the Seneca Area Chamber of Commerce for their efforts to rescue the Coday children this January and the eight people who were stranded in Spring River atop their partially submerged SUV during winter storms in early February.
Chief Justin Weston thanked those present for the recognition.
“It’s quite the shock,” he said. “We hide away in our little corner and we go when we’re needed. To actually be honored is a shock. It’s not ever happened.”
Usually they arrive, leave and the community may never even know they were there, he said.
“Unfortunately it’s times like this, when we end up out in front of people’s eyes, is when they’re at their worst that’s when we’ve got to shine,” he said.
The photo on a set of laminated awards was of the Spring River event, but the team members’ hearts were still with the Southwest City family.
While the crew always hopes to help save a life they did not plan to leave the scene of the accident until they found the girl.
“We were there to get closure for the family,” said Grady Weston.
Dan LaDue said the dive was cold and dark.
“You’re diving in cream coffee,” he said.
The first pass they didn’t find Grace, but on the second time through the water they found her. The crew said they were thankful there were only two victims.
Calls for help have increased and each year they head up more searches. Last year they had 30 calls.
“We’re tripling year to year right now,” the chief said.
They are working for better communication between neighboring dive teams. Barton County’s team was out with them on the Southwest City call.
“It’s not just our volunteers,” Grady Weston said.
Other people came in to work for one of their team members on the day of the Spring River accident.
“It’s teamwork and it all works good,” he said.
Each person has a different job on the team, the chief said, and they stay until they find whoever they’re looking for.
“We’re gonna be there until it’s done,” Justin said.
Closure is one reason they go out, said Carlene LaDue, still near tears as she remembers the Southwest City recovery.
“I want somebody there for us if anything ever happens,” she said.
The volunteer group supplies most of their own equipment and both representatives pledged to help fund their efforts and invited them to Jefferson City for recognition. The team is in need of additional supplies. Some of their boats have been patched so many times they have been completely rebuilt. The team owns one 14-foot inflatable raft and hopes to purchase another as they are easier to deploy. They need a motor for their present rescue boat, communication devices and a light tower for night searches is also on their wish list. Personal equipment is sometimes lost during a search. In Southwest City they lost a mask, an anchor and two fins – one as a rescuer was handing the girl to another diver.
To sign on as a supporter of the Newton County Search and Rescue Team, ask for information at Extreme Sports Scuba or Shamrock Bolt & Screw in Joplin or mail them at P.O. Box 380, Seneca, Mo., 64865.
