GLENDALE — A father and son were rescued Sunday afternoon after their kayak overturned in the Milwaukee River near Kletzsch Park, according to North Shore Fire and Rescue.
Crews were called just after 3 p.m. for a report of two people in the water.
Watch: First responders discuss the safety of the Milwaukee River after they rescued a father and son whose kayak overturned Sunday due to dangerous river conditions.
Officials said the pair made it out of the river and onto a small island, where they held on while awaiting rescue.
“They were on an island-ish area and able to hold themselves there while we planned for rescue,” North Shore Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Eric Riechert said.
TMJ4 cameras were there as first responders reached both individuals and brought them safely back to shore.
They were evaluated by medical personnel and are expected to be okay.
The incident comes after a week of heavy rainfall that officials say have changed river conditions.
“There’s been a lot of rain—it’s usually a pretty calm river for fishing and recreation,” Riechert said. “The rain obviously makes the river flow faster and complicates what we can do.”
Witnesses described fast-moving water and a heavy emergency response along the riverbank.
“It is rushing—it is crazy,” Angela Sheree Kennedy, who witnessed the response, said.
Dale Gatford, who lives nearby and frequently kayaks in the area, said water levels have been significantly elevated.
“As soon as I saw the rafts, I knew it was a kayaking incident,” Gatford said.
Gatford said he regularly checks river conditions before heading out, using data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
The USGS tracks river flow in real time using stream gauges, measuring how much water moves downstream in cubic feet per second. Those numbers help show how fast and powerful a river is at any given time.
“For me, anything over 1,150 is too much—and it’s been 11,000 most of this week and down to 8,000,” Gatford said.
Higher flow rates often mean stronger currents and more hazardous conditions, especially after heavy rainfall.
North Shore Fire and Rescue is urging people to use extreme caution when entering the river due to swift-moving water and changing conditions.
“Be safe, understand the risks you take, stay away from things you're not familiar with, and always have a backup plan,” Riechert said.
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