A man was rescued after jumping into the Lehigh River in Walnutport on Monday.

Diamond Fire Company of Walnutport fire Chief Mike Wentz said firefighters were dispatched at 6:56 p.m. for a water rescue on the Lehigh River within the borough.

“We didn’t jump right away because nobody knew (where the man was) right away,” Wentz said. “All the bystanders at the river didn’t see anyone go in.”

Wentz said the Lehigh County Communications Center pinged the man’s phone, which showed him at a spot, but when they pinged the phone again, they said it could be a distance.

He added they said it could be in the Slatington area, anywhere from the Lehigh Gap bridge to Treichlers bridge, but they couldn’t determine the exact area.

“The Com Center was great,” Wentz said. “They were right on it.”

Wentz said at some point the man decided to jump into the water.

He said the man suffered severe injuries, including multiple lacerations, contusions and abrasions, as well as extreme hypothermia, before being transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital.

Wentz noted that the Diamond Fire Company’s water rescue team launched the boat, but were only able to go 100 to 120 yards because it got that shallow and the boat couldn’t go any further.

He said two guys from his department jumped in and retrieved the man and brought him back to the shore, and added that Walnutport police officer Aung “Alex” Tha went down the bank and helped drag him up the bank.

“Two of my guys physically jumped in; when they tried to get him out, the gentleman threw himself back into the water,” Wentz said. “He was feet from hitting the rapids; he can thank these two guys for getting there when they did.”

He also doled out praise to the Slatington Fire Department.

“Thank God Slatington saw him when they did,” Wentz said. “Otherwise, I don’t think he would have made it.”

He said a big credit goes to the Diamond Fire Company’s water rescue team, Lehighton Fire Department’s water team and Northampton Fire Department’s water team, which all worked together.

In addition, Wentz said the Lehigh Township Fire Company and Slatington Fire Company were positioned along the shores watching, and added Northern Valley Ambulance Association also assisted.

He said emergency personnel were on scene for over an hour.

“Because of addressing everything from out point down and working together, he was located because Slatington saw him trying to get out of the river,” Wentz said. “Because of everybody working together with mutual aid and placing everybody at the proper spots, we were able to (rescue the man).”

Wentz lauded all the emergency responders for their roles in the rescue.

“Everybody worked together,” he said. “There was a very good outcome out of the whole situation.”