IslandVibesIOP.com 3 location, crews navigated the darkness in an airboat and eventually recovered him no worse for wear. “But he was so far back in the marsh, that by the time rescuers reached him, he was barely moving,” Tidwell said, adding that Banjo was already weighed down with caked pluff mud. “Plus, the tide was coming in and he could have easily drowned – so if we hadn’t found him, I’d say his chances of surviving until morning would have been zero.” While Banjo was cleaned up and safely returned to his happy and relieved family, both Tidwell and members of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources pointed to the incident as a safety reminder to residents, and especially pet owners, to be vigilant in Lowcountry marsh areas. When boaters, for example, get stuck in the deep pluff mud at low tide, their only way out is to wait until the tide returns. “When the tide goes out and you’re not paying attention, you’re going to be there a while because there’s no pulling you out,” said Jay Butfiloski, Certified Wildlife Biologist with SCDNR. “Even places that look wide open can be deceptively shallow.” Further risks include hidden sinkholes, unstable ground, potential disease from ticks and biting insects and encountering wildlife such as snakes, alligators and other hidden threats. “One of the biggest things we see is people not having appropriate footwear, and they can cut themselves on oyster beds or other sharp objects,” Tidwell said. “We also recommend carrying a pole into the marsh because certain areas can become almost like quicksand. People go up to their waist or chest, and it’s almost impossible to get out on your own.” While Banjo’s story ended happily, Tidwell said only the expertly organized energies of all rescue parties kept it from ending the other way. “What are the odds of everything happening the way they did?” Tidwell said. “The call coming in before it was too late, the timely coordinated team effort to get to the dog in time, the NEWS Multi-agency rescue operation saves lost dog in marsh By L. C. Leach III 1314 Stuart Engels Blvd.Suite C, Mount Pleasant SC www.RadRydz.com | 843-972-8525 THE BEST IN CHARLESTON GOLF CARTS MountPleasantMagazine.com/CharlestonGolfCarts While South Carolina’s inland coastal areas offer far more enjoyment than risk, they can at times pose dangers for people and domestic animals. Such was the case when Isle of Palms Police Department and Charleston County Rescue crews recently saved a 5-year-old Bernese Mountain dog named Banjo that had run into the marsh. The incident occurred on the evening of Jan. 5 near Scott’s Creek subdivision in Mount Pleasant, shortly after a 9:22 p.m. call to Mount Pleasant Fire Rescue. Banjo had been delivered to a new family that same day from a rescue organization, then suddenly went missing again from the backyard after jumping a 7-foot-high fence. “The family couldn’t find him, so they reached out to rescue who had placed a beacon in his collar,” said Mount Pleasant Battalion Fire Chief Matthew Tidwell. “They could see he was in the marsh before the beacon got too wet and stopped working.” Using a drone to pinpoint Banjo’s beacon just happening to be in his collar, the drone pinpointing his exact location, the airboat getting to him with no trouble ... If even one little piece of this pie had been missing, it would have been curtains for him. So we’re all glad that it worked out.” Provided by Mount Pleasant Fire and Rescue POINT • SCAN SUBSCRIBE IOP WE Keep a piece of Isle of Palms with you no matter where you live. We will mail you POSITIVE VIBES anywhere in the U.S.
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