L.d.w.f. Agents participate in search and rescue mission in allen parish

[Ray]

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents participated in a search and rescue mission on Sunday, June 13 in Allen Parish.

LDWF Sgt. Keith Aucoin and Senior Agents Steven Vidrine and Shawn Brewer, along with local agencies, responded to a 911 call reporting an injured canoeist on the Ousika ****to River at 2 p.m.

Barry Guidry, 44, of Lafayette was canoeing down the river and stopped to swing from a tree rope, severely injuring himself upon entering the water and striking a submerged object.

Around 3 p.m., Senior Agent Steven Vidrine and a local first responder from the fire department located Guidry approximately at the mid-way point along the nine-mile canoeing and tubing route.

Guidry was found lying in shallow water along the edge of a sandbar, surrounded by family members and other canoeists. Guidry was conscious and said he had no feeling in his body from his arms down.

Several other first responders arrived shortly thereafter and were able to stabilize Guidry on a backboard for transport via canoe to Allen Parish Ambulance Service paramedics.

Guidry was loaded onto an ambulance and transported to a nearby field where an Acadian Air Med helicopter was waiting. He was air lifted to Lafayette General Hospital, where he is presently in intensive care.

Other agencies assisting in the operation were the local Allen Parish Volunteer Fire Department, Allen Parish Ambulance Service, Allen Parish Fire and Rescue and Acadian Air Med.