Family Helps Fund Boats After Son's Death

The flooding has reached nearly to Oologah.  That's given rescuers a chance to use a new tool they didn't have this time last year.  After 18-year-old Harrison Lodes drowned in the Oologah spillway, his family became determined to buy rescue boats for their local fire department.  The News On 6's Chris Wright reports the Northwest Rogers County Fire Department says it has always needed rescue boats, but couldn't afford them.  Now, because of one family's determination, it has them.

Only a day before he was to graduate from high school, Harrison Lodes and two friends tried to tackle the rapids of the Oologah Dam Spillway.  But, their raft flipped.  His two friends survived, but Harrison never made it to shore. 

His family believes a rescue boat could have made the difference.  So last summer, they began holding fundraisers.  The community eventually contributed $36,000.

"We want to save lives.  We want to keep our rescue workers safe and we will name the boat 'Harrison's Saving Grace,'" said Harrison's mother, Cindy Buxton.

The boats bearing Harrison's name began arriving at Northwest Fire earlier this year.  A swift water rescue boat came in March.

A few weeks ago, the department received a larger boat.      

"It means a lot to us. It's something we've been trying to get out here for years," said Northwest Rogers County Fire Chief Dave Puckett.

Northwest Fire has already used the boats for three water rescues, and can now patrol the lake during the busy boating season.

The department says the larger boat will come in extremely handy because they are responsible for covering all of Oologah Lake.

While tragedy prompted the gifts, the Northwest firefighters say the boats honor Harrison's memory, and may save others from a similar fate.

"That's why his name is on both boats.  Harrison's Saving Grace, it means a lot to us as a Fire Department," said Aaron Millikin with the Northwest Rogers County Fire Department.

The department also bought a third boat, an inflatable raft designed to be used for rescues on smaller creeks and streams.  Northwest Fire says until it got these boats, it had to rely on other counties, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, or private citizens to help with water rescues.