UWPD Assists Madison Fire with Ice Rescue

• Incident date: January 22, 2025, 12:00 pm
• Incident type: Lake Rescue
• Location/address: Lake Mendota near Picnic Point

Dispatchers from the UW-Madison Police Department were critical in locating an individual who fell through the ice on Lake Mendota.

On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at approximately 10:50 p.m., UWPD dispatchers heard a call from the Dane County 911 Center indicating someone had fallen through the ice near Picnic Point. Dispatchers immediately searched for the individual using our security camera system. The individual was spotted, and the location was quickly relayed to the City of Madison Lake Rescue Team. UWPD officers responded to Picnic Point to illuminate the area, helping with a safe and successful rescue. The UWPD Drone Team was also deployed to keep a watchful eye on the individual and Madison Fire rescuers.

According to the Madison Fire, the individual was in the water for about 20 minutes before they were successfully rescued. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

As a general reminder, despite the recent cold weather, no ice should be considered safe. If you choose to go on ice, use extreme caution and never go alone. More ice safety tips from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources can be found here.

View drone footage of the rescue »