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North Adams FireFighters Rescue Kids from Hoosac River

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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. 
 
 
 

Tags: NAFD,   search & rescue,   

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Nor'easter Set to Drop Foot of Snow Over Berkshires

Update on the powerful Nor'easter set to drop up to a foot of snow over the region. This come right on the tail Friday's storm that dropped up to 6 inches in some areas. 
 
The National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., has shifted the winter storm warning issued from Saturday a few hours later; it now begins at 4 p.m. on Sunday  but still runs through 7 p.m. on Monday for the Berkshires, eastern New York, Southern Vermont and northern Connecticut.
 
Heavy snow expected with total accumulations between 8 and 14 inches with some locally higher totals possible over the high peaks of the Catskills AND the Berkshires. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph. 
 
The forecasted "bomb cyclone" is lining up to hit New York City with its first blizzard in a decade, but Western Mass will feel some of its effects.  
 
The Berkshires will see flurries during the day but the Nor'easter will make its entrance later in the evening, first in South County between 5 and 8 and then moving north.
 
Vermont schoolchildren will be starting their winter vacation Monday but Berkshire kids will be headed back to school. But they might be getting an extra vacation day — Greylock Snow Day still has an 80 percent probability for of delays, but upgraded the chance of a snow to 90 percent for South County and 75 percent for north. 
 
With the storm sweeping in by Sunday afternoon, we'll be on the lookout for any cancellations. This post will also be updated if new information becomes available. 
 
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