NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Firefighters on Tuesday night rescued two kids swimming in the fast-moving Hoosic River in the area of West Liquors.
Deputy Fire Chief Robert Patenaude said the children went swimming with their mother and had been taken away by the current.
"They were in very severe danger," Patenaude said. "High, fast-moving water, cold water with all of the rain we have had."
Patenaude said two off-duty firefighters who lived in the area, Lt. Kevin Alicea and Mitch Maselli, were first on the scene.
"One of them knew the area well and he knew where the path was to get down to where the kids were," Patenaude said. "He contacted one of the kids and was able to secure them. When the other arrived he did the same for the kid clinging to a tree."
He said once firefighters arrived, they deployed ropes and put on wetsuits to retrieve the kids.
Both children were evaluated by Northern Berkshire EMS.
North Adams Police were also on scene.
Patenaude warned that residents should avoid fast-moving bodies of water.
"Stay out," he said. "There is no reason to be in there."
The North Adams 911 Facebook page has more photos of the rescue.
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Drury Hosts Inaugural Government Appreciation Day
By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
State Rep. John Barrett III explains his role in the state Legislature to students during Government Appreciation Day at Drury on Friday.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Eighth-grade students learned about civics firsthand during the school's inaugural Massachusetts Government Appreciation Day.
"Government is strongest when every individual feels as though they are part of the process," said civics teacher Patrick Boulger, before introducing the Friday's guest speakers. "Today is the day when you have an opportunity to be part of this process and learn from individuals who have dedicated their lives to government service."
The event is a new addition to the eighth-grade civics curriculum, to provide students with a deeper understanding of state and local governance before they take Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System's civics exam
Mayor Jennifer Macksey, former Gov. Jane Swift, state Rep. John Barrett III, Assessor Jessica Lincourt and the mayor's executive assistant Lindsay Randall all addressed students in breakout sessions and explained their role in government.
Macksey started her presentation by telling her own story starting as a Drury High School graduate.
She said her first job in government was a little less glamorous.
"My first job with the city truly was at the dump," she said pointing out the window toward where the city dump used to be. "I sold composting bins, and I did such a good job I was able to get a part-time job in the public service department at City Hall."
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The School Committee will be presented next week with a $20 million spending plan for fiscal 2025 that includes closing Greylock School and a reduction of 26 full-time positions.
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The initiative was sparked by the Police Department's acquisition of bike helmets as part of a Municipal Road Safety Grant, according to Police Chief Mark Bailey.
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President Jamie Birge told the board of trustees on Thursday that the college has been in discussions for the last couple years with a donor who wishes at this point to remain anonymous.
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John Magnarelli served his country in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division and the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam from May 4, 1969, to April 10, 1970, as a sergeant. click for more