Drone saves sledder stuck in slush on Lake Joseph

Sledder greets rescuers on Lake Joseph. Fri., Feb., 27, 2026. PHOTO: COURTESY OF MUSKOKA LAKES FIRE DEPARTMENT

A sledder stuck on Lake Joseph did the only thing he could do; called for help.

Muskoka Lakes Fire Chief Ryan Murrell said the fisher used his cell phone as a beacon.

“There was deep slush on the lake,” said Murrell. “When he went out in the morning it was ice, but by afternoon, it became slush.”

The Springwater man in his 60s was in good spirits but was unable to move in the waist-deep slush.

He was found by using the fire department’s drone, said Murrell.

“We were able to use our smaller DJI Mavic Enterprise Dual drone to quickly find the man with the thermal camera and place a beacon on his location,” Murrell said.

“We continued to observe the rescue from above while responders went to the man with larger snowmobiles. He made the right decision to call for help and get off the ice before nightfall. He will arrange to pick up his kit at a later date.”

This rescue turned out well, but Murrell would like to get the word out about a smart phone app that can save lives as well.

“People can download What3words on their phones. This is a free app that allows emergency dispatchers to quickly find your location and guide resources to you,” he said.