Water Rescue on Long Lake Rushes Man to Hospital
Liberty Township – Just after 6 PM, on Monday, September 1, 2025 Liberty Township firefighters were sent to Long Lake in lower Liberty Township for a missing male subject on the lake. Chiefs Brian Duncan and Michael Wineland arrived on scene and started investigating to gather information to assist water rescuers in being able to locate the subject quickly.
The male subject was reported last seen approximately 100 feet off the West shoreline, just out from the lily pads that hugged the shore. Porter County Dive Team members quickly deployed a rescue boat and rescuers in the water in search of the man. A rescuer on the boat spotted a bright blue material submerged in the shallow water and dived below the surface to investigate and found the missing person. With the information gathered by witnesses, the person was located just about where he was last seen.
The subject was quickly surfaced by rescuers onto the boat where immediate life-saving CPR was performed while the boat made it back to shore safely.
Long Lake in Liberty Township is known for its calm waters and recreational paddling. Conditions at the time were reported with having calm waters and the missing person not wearing a life jacket.
During the rescue operation, a number of bystanders began arriving at the scene, and individuals posting live updates on social media with speculation heard on the radio. These created distractions, congested access areas and further delay critical efforts when the information being provided has to be verified for accuracy to ensure responders are sent where the help is needed.
“While we understand the concern and interest from the community, emergency responses are not the time to post live updates always,” said Chief Duncan. “Our crews need clear access and focused coordination.
” Official updates will be provided through verified news releases when necessary; whether to request public assistance or to alert the community about conditions that may directly impact them. The department wants to avoid an incident within incident which occurs when a bystander can get injured and only add to the complexity of the response.
The department is grateful for the neighbors that were able to assist in locating the male subject with providing helpful information, aiding in the rapid rescue.
Liberty Township thanked its mutual aid responders with the rescue on the lake.
