Springfield Fire Rescue Division Chief Jacob King said his crews were dispatched after callers reported a man in the water who was not breathing.
With help from bystanders, Springfield Police Division officers found the man and helped remove him from the water up a 15-foot embankment “covered with heavy rocks and loose footing,” King said.
Medics provided initial care at the scene and then transported the man to Springfield Regional Medical Center, with CareFlight on standby to take him to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton.
King said the man was in “serious, life-threating condition.”
The man, believe to be between 20 and 40, was tubing on the river. Others were kayaking, King said.
“I would like to thank all the bystanders who helped him and called 911,” King said, also thanking police officers for getting the man up the difficult embankment.
King offered words of caution as hot weather is expected to continue beyond the Labor Day holiday.
“If you are going to be on the river, you’ve got to think river safety,” he said.
The man was not wearing a life jacket, King said.
“Once the incident happens, it is always too late to put it on,” he said. “You get that cold water hit on your face, you lose your ability to make good decisions.”