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Accident Database: Accident #1147
| River: | Little |
| Section: | 2. Sinks to the Elbow |
| Water Level: | Low |
| Difficulty: | IV |
| Accident Code(s): | Foot Entrapment |
| Injury Code(s): | Hypothermia, Near Drowning, Legs |
| Age: | 25 |
| Boat Type: | From Shore |
| Number of Victims: | 1 |
| Hazard Codes: | Natural Strainer or Sieve, Water Temp |
| Detailed Description: | A former rescue squad member got into serious trouble while wading in the “Sinks” of the Little River, a popular Class IV run in
East Tennessee
. Lee Slice, 25, was wading and swimming when he lost his balance and was swept down a narrow chute. Although he is 6’4” tall and tried hard to keep his feet up, he became trapped in 4 feet of fast, cold water. Rescue squads, including Slice’s father and many former co-workers, were called to the scene. They put a life vest and wetsuit top on Slice and used ropes to help support him in the relentless current. After four hours, with rain falling and the river rising, a crew of 25 men managed to pull him free. He was taken to the hospital and treated for bone chips, rope burns, and a body temperature that had dropped to a reported 72 (?) degrees! It’s unlikely he would be conscious if this was true, but he was clearly hypothermic and close to collapse.
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| Report Status: | Completed |