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A Day with the Water Patrol
Date: 7/31/2011 Album ID: 1293394
Photos by Laurie Skrivan
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Cpl. Robert May of the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Water Patrol Division works the Huzzah Creek and Meramec River during the height of float trip season. Ray had a busy day as he issued boating citations, transported floaters to ambulances and rescued stranded floaters to shore. "It can get kind of busy in the afternoon, where it seems like it goes from one thing to another, and this was one of those days," he said.
JULY 23 2011- I didn't bring a phone. To see my friend passed out on the river and not have a way to call for help is scary. Looking up and seeing the Water Patrol was a great sight ! said Kristen Holt, 23, of St. Peters, who cares for her friend Meredith Jordan,27, of O'Fallon, Mo., while Cpl. Robert May and his partner Capt. Robert Searcy check on the status of the ambulance. Jordan had been drinking and was going in and out of consciousness when May arrived with them at the Onondaga ramp. Jordan was treated and released at the scene. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- A group of 20-year-olds, camping near the Big Eddy gravel bar wave down Cpl. Robert May as he was headed downriver from a previous emergency call. With the help of May, they rushed to load their friend Meredith Jordan, 27, of OÕFallon onto the boat. One of her friends, Kristen Holt, said Jordan had been drinking and was going in and out of consciousness. Thinking it might be related to the heat, they had placed her in the water to cool her off. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- Seconds after getting Meredith Jordan, 27, of OÕFallon onto the boat, Cp. Robert May checks for a pulse. Her friend Jordan Holt would later climb aboard, May road them to the Onondaga ramp, where an ambulance was waiting. Jordan was treated and released at the scene.Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- Cpl. Robert May of the Missouri Water Patrol weaves in out of floater traffic along a packed Meramec River to transport Kristen Holt ,23, of St. Peters and her friend Meredith Jordan,27, of O'Fallon, Mo. Jordan had been drinking and was going in and out of consciousness. May took them to the Onondaga ramp, where an ambulance was waiting. Jordan was treated and released at the scene. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- From his vantage point in the wooded area near the confluence of the Meremac River and the Huzzah Creek, Cpl. Robert May peers through binoculars to get a better view of the floaters headed his way. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011 During the height of float season, the waterways are too congested to police by boat so Cpl. Robert May and his partner Capt. Robert Searcy split time between a 17-foot jet boat -and walking the banks looking for violators. The two most common violations they see Ñ possession of marijuana and a minor in possession of alcohol Ñ are misdemeanors. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- Leaving his spot from behind the trees, Cpl. Robert May searches for a group that he spotted using a beer bong. Safety is the top priority for May, so beer bongs, which allow the absorption of alcohol three times faster than normal, are too dangerous to overlook. They are illegal to have on the river. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- Cpl. Robert May confiscates a beer bong from a bachelorette party for Krysta Lazear, who was wearing a black bikini and and white veil. May asked who owned the bong, and Marcie Hutchison, 27, of St. Charles, said it was hers. The device is illegal on the water. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- Krysta Lazear, wearing a black bikini and and white veil tries to talk Cpl. Robert May out of giving her bridesmaid Marcie Hutchison, 27, of St. Charles, a ticket. Why didnÕt anyone tell us we couldnÕt have it on the water? CanÕt you just give us a warning? Can we have it back if we promise not to use it again? Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- Krysta Lazear, wearing a black bikini and and white veil tries to talk Cpl. Robert May out of giving her bridesmaid Marcie Hutchison, 27, of St. Charles, a ticket. Why didnÕt anyone tell us we couldnÕt have it on the water? CanÕt you just give us a warning? Can we have it back if we promise not to use it again? Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- Krysta Lazear, who wears a black bikini and and white veil tries to talk Cpl. Robert May out of giving her bridesmaid Marcie Hutchison, 27, of St. Charles, a ticket. Why didnÕt anyone tell us we couldnÕt have it on the water? CanÕt you just give us a warning? Can we have it back if we promise not to use it again? Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- Krysta Lazear, who wears a black bikini and and white veil tries to talk Cpl. Robert May out of giving her bridesmaid Marcie Hutchison, 27, of St. Charles, a ticket. Why didnÕt anyone tell us we couldnÕt have it on the water? CanÕt you just give us a warning? Can we have it back if we promise not to use it again? Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- During the height of float season, the waterways are too congested to police by boat so Cpl. Robert May and his partner Capt. Robert Searcy split time between a 17-foot jet boat -and walking the banks looking for violators. The two most common violations they see Ñ possession of marijuana and a minor in possession of alcohol Ñ are misdemeanors. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- It probably doesnÕt sound fair, but IÕm giving you a pretty good deal, said Cpl. Robert May of the Missouri Water Patrol, as he works a weekend on the Huzzah Creek and Meramec River during the height of float trip season. May pulled over Ryan Perry, 21, of Imperial, who didnÕt have the proper paperwork or safety equipment on board his motorized canoe. May gave him four warnings but ticketed him for not having any life jackets on board. The fine for the citation is $10 plus court costs. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- About 2:15 p.m. back at the confluence, Cpl. Robert May spotted another violation. May issued a citation to Brian Cox, 53, of Belleville, who had a glass bottle in his canoe. May had barely finished writing Cox a citation when he got a call about a woman having seizures three miles upriver from the Onondaga State Park boat ramp. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- Cpl. Robert May of the Missouri Water Patrol races up the river with paramedic Judy Adams with the North Crawford County Ambulance District to a call about a woman having seizures three miles upriver from the Onondaga State Park. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- Cpl. Robert May of the Missouri Water Patrol attends to a scene with paramedic Judy Adams with the North Crawford County Ambulance District where a group of floaters were caring for a friend who was having seizures three miles upriver from the Onondaga State Park. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- North Crawford County Ambulance District workers, from left to right, Karen Nuno and Judy Adams try to stabilize a woman having seizures while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- Even with temperatures topping 100 degrees recently, Cpl. Robert May uniform still includes long pants and boots. May makes to keep hydrated. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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JULY 23 2011- Working along a river in a somewhat remote rural area can sometimes create obstacles during emergency response. As if adding salt to a wound, floaters, including May, feverishly try to free the ambulance transporting the woman who was having seizures that had gotten stuck in the sandy road. It took about 20 minutes to get unstuck. Laurie Skrivan | lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
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