EAST LANSING, Mich — Officials say an 11-year-old boy's quick thinking led to the rescue of his family who became stranded on Lake Lansing during the Fourth of July weekend.
- The family was stuck in an inflatable boat in the middle of Lake Lansing.
- Only one of the four people had a life preserver when they became stranded.
- The Ingham County Sheriff's Office responded after the boy called 911.
The Ingham County Sheriff's Office responded to a 911 call from a young boy whose family was in distress on the water.
WATCH: 11-year-old boy calls 911 to rescue family stranded in the water
"Our mom and them are stuck in the middle of the lake right now," the 11-year-old boy told dispatchers. "They can't get out. They can't get out."
After receiving the call, the sheriff's office contacted a deputy already on patrol on the lake, who quickly intervened before anyone was injured.
"Thankfully, he had the presence of mind to call 911," Captain Andrew Daenzer with the Ingham County Sheriff's Office said.
WATCH: Full 911 call from 11-year-old boy on Lake Lansing
The Ingham County Sheriff's Office says the incident serves as an important reminder about water safety as summer activities continue across Haslett and surrounding areas.
"Life preservers, number one. There was only one person of the four that had a life preserver," Daenzer said. "The buddy system, making sure you're there with someone. It's always good to be with a buddy and have folks in the area that are keeping an eye on things."
Daenzer emphasized that the boy's ability to remain calm during the emergency played a crucial role in the successful rescue.
"I think it's something we can learn from this kid and can all teach our kids, is that ability to just take a deep breath, just to give some clear facts as to what's going on," Daenzer said. "The more you can educate your kids on the ability to call 911 if you're in distress, and getting information clearly across to our dispatch. In this case, it ended up being the perfect ending."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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