submitted by Mike Kouba, Fire Chief, Manchester Township Fire Department

On Sunday, August 17, Manchester Township Fire Department (MTFD) responded to a kayaker in the River Raisin near Fellows Bridge off of Sharon Valley Road who was trapped under a fallen tree. His nephew was in another kayak and happened to have a chainsaw, which he used to free himself from a branch that was holding his head underwater. MTFD crews responded and found the victim still in his kayak, which was being pushed to the bottom of the river and was tangled in very large branches. MTFD removed enough branches to successfully remove him from his kayak and onto another kayak where he was floated down the river to an access path. MTFD used their utility task vehicle to transport the victim several yards to an awaiting ambulance. The patient was transported to University of Michigan Hospital. Injury updates were not available at this writing.