DODGE CO, Wis. — Drone video shared by the Dodge County Sheriff's Office showed a dramatic rescue by deputies and the Beaver Dam Fire Department.
Officials said the man, who was seen standing on ice in the video, fell through ice at Beaver Dam Lake around 5:37 a.m. The man called 911 just before falling through the ice.
"The ice is still relatively thin and that always creates a unique challenge for us,” said Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt.
Schmidt says Tuesday morning's rescue was the first of its kind for his department since the cold weather hit. He credits thermal drone technology with helping to quickly locate the man on the lake.
"That really assisted us in making this a safer location of the individual,” Schmidt said.
Tuesday's rescue marked the second of its kind this week for area deputies. Sunday night, a Kenosha County deputy saved a fisherman from a pond near Hooker Lake.
"I just knew we had to do something to help get him out before his muscles gave out or self-will gave out and he ends up underwater,” said Deputy Colin Coultrip of the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department.
"I try to be pretty cautious,” said Ice fisherman CJ Randazzo.
Randazzo said some areas just haven't been cold enough for long enough to get out on the ice. He's warning others to use caution.
"Be cautious. Don't take your life at risk. Nothing is worth it. Just be cautious,” he said.
Sheriff Schmidt said through the years, some people have died after falling into frozen water.
