Accident Database

Report ID# 117052

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Date

Victim

Victim Age

River

Location

Gage

Water Level

River Difficulty

Cause Code(s)

Health Problem

Injury Type(s)

Heart Attack / Heart Failure

Factors

Other

Victim Experience Level

Trip Type

Boat Type

Status

Accident Description

From Jeff Belangervia FB: This happened during the Westfield Wildwater Race. Mostly class 1-2 with one class 3 drop. This was sent to me by a friend who was at the scene. He was paddling a canoe. The river there was fast moving class 2. The accident happened at the 47.6 mile marker on Rt 20 near Russel, Mass. He was on the left side of the river near the railroad tracks

Froim Steve Gougeon via FB

“I was standing on the road side next to a police officer. I heard the scanner go off for a man down in the water possible CPR in progress. I told the cop that I am an EMT and a police officer and could help. I also Informed him that the location of the call wasn’t easily accessible from the road and we would need more people for the call.

We responded by the time we got on the scene the male party late 50s had been down for 20 min with a witness arrest. I had grabbed and AED off the ambulance that was behind use as we responded along with a back board. I applied the AED to the male party. We were able to get a shock delivered. We worked the man for a little while longer. The AED second round was a no shock. The third round was another Shock delivered. Another ambulance arrived the had a Lucus (creepy CPR Machine) that was applied to take over compression. We backboarded him and began the very tricky extrication out of the river.

We were able to get them up to the railroad tracks and loaded in an ambulance where he was transported to Baystate Springfield medical center. It was in a very tough location to get to. It sounds like he had a cardiac issue before going into the water. The Two guys in a canoe behind him witnessed him collapse and then fall into the water he was in the water for about 2-5 minutes before they got them to shore. The two people that got them to shore were off duty firefighters/ paramedics they began CPR immediately. It was a very long downtime. I was really glad I was able to help out in that situation with administering CPR. Definitely put a damper on a great day and fun event.”

By Irene Rotondo | IRotondo@masslive.com

Matthew Peck, 72, has been identified as the Massachusetts man who died after he went into cardiac arrest while canoeing on the Westfield River during the river’s annual Wildwater Races on Saturday, April 22, the Russell-Montgomery Police Department stated.

A 911 call came in around 12:45 p.m. on Saturday from a paddler on the river, who said they saw a man fall from a canoe he was paddling in with another man, Russell-Montgomery Police Lt. Sean Shattuck told The Westfield News. Shattuck told the outlet another call came in seconds later that the man, Peck, was in cardiac arrest.

Two off-duty EMT-firefighters paddling in a canoe just behind stopped to help, Westfield River Wildwater Races director Ed Hamels told the outlet, along with 10 other paddlers. It took first responders 15 minutes to navigate the densely wooded area, Shattuck said.

The officials from Russell-Montgomery, Huntington and State Police, along with the Russell Fire Department and Hilltown Ambulance worked to get Peck to the shoreline, and the lieutenant said it took 17 people to get him out of the water and into the ambulance because of the slippery conditions on the shore.

Peck was headed to Baystate Noble Hospital at 1:52 p.m., but Shattuck stated he was pronounced dead on arrival.