Campers Rescue Three People after Boat Capsizes in Brewer Lake

They were brought back to shore before emergency crews showed up

BREWER LAKE, ND — Two adults and one child are safe after their boat capsized in rural Cass County.

But it wasn’t emergency personal who got them out of the water.

The wind was heavy at the Brewer Lake campgrounds in rural Cass County Sunday morning.

“It’s almost white caps,” added Bob Ward of West Fargo.

A far distance from where many emergency responders are stationed, a boat flipped after 10:00 a.m.

The passengers were not wearing life jackets.

“We were packing up, getting ready to put the camper down and we saw people running and vehicles coming through,” Ward said. “I heard a boat had capsized. Getting in my Jeep, coming down here and I was the third one on the scene. A boat was already launched.”

Thanks to the help of fellow campers, the three people were rescued before emergency personal showed up.

Dylan Rickford, Amy and Shelby of Harwood were quickly given blankets to warm up with.

They did not require any serious medical treatment.

“Just started having motor troubles,” said Rickford, the boat’s driver. “We were going a little it above idling speed to get back and just hit a wave the wrong way.”

Rickford told me once the wind began to pick up, the boat capsized.

From that point on, he said his top priority was making sure Shelby was safe.

“She fell in and my main concern was just getting her on top of the haul to where she was dry,” Rickford said.

Although they weren’t wearing any at the time, there were life jackets on the boat when it flipped.

Only two were immediately available.

Dylan told me he gave them to Amy and Shelby while he hung on to the boat.

“I took a life jacket and I just laid on it and I swam,” said Amy. “I didn’t know if they had heard us.”

“Good thing everybody was here this weekend and it was early,” Ward added. “Usually people pack up and they’re out of here by noon.”

“The water’s cold,” Rickford said. “Don’t recommend swimming.

Rescue crews said you should always wear a life jacket no matter how short the boat trip.

At least 15 bystanders helped rescue the trio from the lake.