Yellowstone River Kayakers Help Billings Fire Dept in Emergency

Two citizens are being called "heroes" by the Billings Fire Department, after they helped crews during an emergency situation on the Yellowstone River on Thursday (9/16).

According to the Billings Fire Department Instagram page, a hiker that was on the trails at Four Dances had a "medical emergency" across the Yellowstone River from Coulsen Park.

Deputies from the Yellowstone County Sheriffs Office were able to locate the hiker after being dispatched to the area, and began guiding firefighters and ambulance crews into the location.

After arriving, Billings Firefighters and YCSO deputies realized the river levels were too low for their jet skis and boats to cross the Yellowstone River to access the patients.

According to the post on Instagram, BFD said that's when "these two citizen heroes showed up on their kayaks," and helped to ferry the hikers across the river to medics that were waiting to evaluate them.

Without their help this rescue would have been much longer and might have landed the either patient in the hospital. -Billings Fire Department via Instagram

In the social media post, BFD called the kayakers "citizen heroes," and added a "huge round of applause for Ken and Eve and their kayaks!"

Billings Fire also thanked Lockwood Firefighters who were attempting to make access from their side of the river, according to the post on Instagram.