Ten year old girl is a real life-saver

Saturday, at Magic Reservoir, 10-year-old Amanda Dugger heard someone yelling for help. She saw two men drifting in the diversion dam below the reservoir. She alerted her uncles Billy Dugger and Ben Owings who rescued the men from the chilling waters.

Blaine County Sheriff Walt Femling credited the little girl with coordinating the rescue that may have saved the men’s lives.

According to Femling, the incident began when the steering cable of a boat broke, causing it to run aground into a grove of willows. The grounding swamped the stern of the boat, sinking it until only the bow of the boat was exposed above the water, Femling said.

Three men were aboard the boat at the time of the incident. Dale Harral, 56, of, Hazelton was able to get to shore and went for help. William Harral, 61, and Willy Harral, 34, of Twin Falls were unable to make it ashore and remained in the water clinging to the bow of the boat, Femling said.

According to Amanda’s mother, Kandi Dugger, Willy was then separated from the boat and started drifting downstream along the diversion.

"Amanda stayed with Willy the whole time during the rescue, running along the bank, encouraging him, telling him to stay calm and breathe," Kandi said.

According to Femling the Blaine County Marine Patrol and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department responded to the incident. Kandi said that Amanda directed rescuers to Willy.

According to Femling, the two men, suffering from hypothermia, were transported to the Twin Falls Regional Medical Center where they were treated and released.