This time, the story had a happy ending, although the tale couldn't have been much more dramatic had it been scripted by Hollywood screenwriters. A boating accident on the river led to a capsized craft, just moments after the boater was rescued by the Loudon County Fire and Rescue Department.

"I almost went swimming in the river," joked John Mayes, owner of Allied Insurance of Knoxville, who was taking his 20-foot fish and ski boat to Spring City, to the Arrowhead boat dock for the winter.

"I was near the island; I had just gone below the railroad bridge and the new Loudon bridge," Mayes said. "Evidently, the water is real shallow there."

Darkness was approaching, and Mayes felt a disconcerting bump. "The boat pitches, and I think I will need a tow. Then, it starts filling up rapidly with water and starts to capsize. I've been boating 20-something years, and nothing like that's ever happened to me before," he said. 

In the dark, in shallow water, Mayes had hit a rock and broken the footing from his boat, allowing water to enter that hole. Initially, Mayes had called friend Mel Hines for towing help, then realized the boat was taking on water and called 911. Emergency 911 workers were able to pinpoint his location, and soon help was on the way. 

"It was getting dark, and I had my life vest on, but I would have been in the water by myself if it were not for the Loudon Fire Department. I have one word for them: Impressive. I am thankful they had that boat." 

Although his boat was lost, Mayes was rescued, literally in the nick of time. "The boat is just property," Mayes said. "If it weren't for Loudon Fire Department, I might not be here. I was standing in water. It is hard to believe a small city has that professional a group. They hauled me out, then the whole boat went under."

The rescue crew stayed with the capsized boat, to prevent other vessels from hitting it, until it could be recovered.

The Nov. 1 incident was the maiden mission for the Loudon rescue boat, which had been delivered just weeks before.

Approved by Loudon City Council Aug. 13, the 16-foot, self-leveling aluminum boat was ordered from RescueOne Aug. 17, at a cost of $19,575.

"We think it has already paid for itself," said Loudon Fire Chief Mike Brubaker. "We had hoped we wouldn't need it, but we were glad we had it."

With water accidents, as with fires, minutes matter, according to Brubaker. 

The fire chief had been told by city council member Eugene Lambert to bring the request for the boat only if he felt it was truly needed. With budget and finances tight this year, Lambert had pointed out that the Loudon County Dive Team was available for rescues in the city.

Brubaker had replied, "We don't need it until we need it." Lambert conceded and supported the request.

Brubaker said Tuesday the first mission just happened to be one of those cases where it was truly critically needed. The call had come in to 911 at 6:15 p.m. The rescue boat was launched within a minute, and the team arrive at the scene five minutes later, at 6:20 p.m., just as the boat sank.

Brubaker said the trend has been toward an increased need for a rescue boat.

"We have found that over the past five years, we have had more incidents needing a boat, and unfortunately, there have been two drownings. Over five years, there were a total of 14 or 15 incidents and the rescue squad always came, but it would be at least 10 to 15 minutes before they could get there. We are thankful the city council approved this boat purchase, and we had this success the first time it was used."