Dresden Fire leads flood rescue; officials monitoring ice on the river

DRESDEN - Four people were rescued from rising flood waters on Saturday morning, according to Dresden Fire Department captain Matt Salmons.

Dresden Fire was dispatched at 7:51 a.m. to 9385 N. River Rd. East, the location of cabins near the Muskingum River.

Salmons said two boats from Dresden, along with boats from Falls Township and Washington Township Fire Departments, were used since the high water had come through the fields near the cabins and into the cabins themselves, preventing the people from getting out on their own.

All four people were rescued safely. Dresden also had two medics and a rescue crew on the scene, and Frazeysburg Fire Department assisted with a medic.

The Muskingum River is also being observed for an ice jam near Ellis Dam, according to Muskingum EMA Deputy Director Jeff Jadwin.

That is the only jam on the river at this point.

"We are watching the area near Ellis Dam with ODNR and the area fire departments," Jadwin said. "There's not much we can do at this point. We're at the monitoring stage."

The Morgan County EMA & OHS also posted a release on their Facebook page, noting they are gathering information and monitoring the ice dam issues on the river. They also noted the river rose sharply earlier on Saturday on the McConnelsville gauge.

Morgan County EMA recommends anyone in flood prone areas to be aware that there could be a swift rise in the river and should make preparations at this time.

All area counties, Coshocton, Muskingum, Perry and Morgan, remain on Level 2 Snow Emergencies.