(Submitted Photo)

NORWICH - Five kayakers were saved from the Chenango River on Saturday thanks to the help of local emergency responders and a volunteer firefighter from East Meredith.

According to City of Norwich Fire Department Chief Jan Papelino, at approximately 9:13 a.m., Saturday morning, a 911 call was received from an individual kayaking with a group through the Chenango River.

Papelino said it took about an hour to locate and save the kayakers, and that rain from the night before made the water especially dangerous.

Papelino added that the kayaker was on the Chenango River with five others, who were trapped in the river near Hale Street. He said after searching the area emergency responders used a phone tracking system through the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office to figure out that they were actually near Portelli Drive.

“Because it’s a fenced-in area near that road we weren’t able to get our vehicles down there, so we had to get to them using a nearby corn field,” said Papelino. “When we got down to the water we actually made contact with another kayaker and firefighter from East Meredith, Kelly Nober.”

“She ended up coming up and helping us place those lines to save the two in the water; she was very experienced at kayaking and proved to be a big help.”