Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Taking the Plunge

Aired October 22, 2003 - 09:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: He's the first person ever to survive a plunge over Niagara Falls without any safety gear. That's the good news, he's alive. The bad news, authorities not impressed. They plan to charge Kirk Jones with illegally performing a stunt. Firefighters Shawn Bates and Scott Wilkinson were on the scene on Monday to help rescue Jones after he went over. They're with us again from the Canadian side of the Falls to talk about it.
Gentlemen, thanks for your time, and just a pretty obvious question here.

What did you see? And at what point did you realize that was a human being in the waters beside you?

SHAWN BATES, FIREFIGHTER: Yes. When we arrived, he was on the shore, and we were surprised as anybody that he had actually gone over the Falls and lived. It was -- it's amazing that that happened.

HEMMER: Did he pop up right away? Or was he swimming? Was he struggling? What did you see?

BATES: When we arrived on the scene he was already to shore. He was out in the water, they said about 40 yards, he swam to shore, and he climbed up on a rock, and he was sitting on the rock when we got there.

HEMMER: Hey, Scott, how dangerous are those waters?

SCOTT WILKINSON, FIREFIGHTER: The waters, they're quite fast down below. And because of the misting in the area, it makes for a really slippery condition down below. There's a lot of moss and the rocks themselves are quite slippery. So it's a tough go on the way back up.

HEMMER: On top of all that you're dropping 180 feet with that torrent of water that is just amazing. If you ever go to Niagara, you're so impressed by the amount of force that goes over those falls. Why do you believe this man survived?

WILKINSON: Me personally, I think he's the luckiest man. I mean, he can't beat it. Just over he went. And below the falls itself, and the bottom of the brink, it's rock. Nothing but rock down there. It's a small spot, probably a 1 percent area where he could have landed, and he did.

HEMMER: Let me ask your partner the same question -- why do you think it's so? BATES: Well, I don't know, you want to say divine intervention or something. Back at the hall, we were saying it's like driving down the road at 60 miles an hour and one car, an approaching car, you stick out a piece of thread, they stick out a needle and you thread the needle. That's about as much chance as you're ever going to have of surviving.

HEMMER: What did he say? Did you ask him any questions about why he did it?

BATES: I didn't personally, no. He was talking more to Shawn.

WILKINSON: He was quite talkative. But he never answered that question, or that question was never put to him, actually. He was jubilant and very happy to survive it, as we were happy that he survived it, too, made our job somewhat easier.

HEMMER: Listen, I apologize for the interruption. I don't mean to interpret things for you. But do you believe this was intentional?

BATES: That's not our call. He went in on his own free will above the Falls. So, yes, I guess it was.

HEMMER: OK, we'll let that one go for a second here. He's going to be charged. Do you believe that's the right course of action now?

WILKINS: Yes, because I mean, he wasn't -- he'll be in big trouble actually for what he's done. He's breached a law. He should be charged with it. We don't encourage that sort of thing here on the Falls. I mean, it pulls all of us in jeopardy as well, as the parks police and any ambulance crew. So we like to see people charged, yes.

BATES: Yes, these rescues are dangerous to us. I mean, we're in peril there, and as the captain there, I'm overlooking the safety of my men, and it's quite concerning to say the least.

HEMMER: Point at the end there is well taken. Thank you gentlemen, Scott Wilkinson and Shawn Bates on the Canadian side of the falls. What a week it's been already. Good luck to you, and thanks for sharing your story with us.

WILKINS: Thank you.

BATES: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 22, 2003 - 09:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: He's the first person ever to survive a plunge over Niagara Falls without any safety gear. That's the good news, he's alive. The bad news, authorities not impressed. They plan to charge Kirk Jones with illegally performing a stunt. Firefighters Shawn Bates and Scott Wilkinson were on the scene on Monday to help rescue Jones after he went over. They're with us again from the Canadian side of the Falls to talk about it.
Gentlemen, thanks for your time, and just a pretty obvious question here.

What did you see? And at what point did you realize that was a human being in the waters beside you?

SHAWN BATES, FIREFIGHTER: Yes. When we arrived, he was on the shore, and we were surprised as anybody that he had actually gone over the Falls and lived. It was -- it's amazing that that happened.

HEMMER: Did he pop up right away? Or was he swimming? Was he struggling? What did you see?

BATES: When we arrived on the scene he was already to shore. He was out in the water, they said about 40 yards, he swam to shore, and he climbed up on a rock, and he was sitting on the rock when we got there.

HEMMER: Hey, Scott, how dangerous are those waters?

SCOTT WILKINSON, FIREFIGHTER: The waters, they're quite fast down below. And because of the misting in the area, it makes for a really slippery condition down below. There's a lot of moss and the rocks themselves are quite slippery. So it's a tough go on the way back up.

HEMMER: On top of all that you're dropping 180 feet with that torrent of water that is just amazing. If you ever go to Niagara, you're so impressed by the amount of force that goes over those falls. Why do you believe this man survived?

WILKINSON: Me personally, I think he's the luckiest man. I mean, he can't beat it. Just over he went. And below the falls itself, and the bottom of the brink, it's rock. Nothing but rock down there. It's a small spot, probably a 1 percent area where he could have landed, and he did.

HEMMER: Let me ask your partner the same question -- why do you think it's so? BATES: Well, I don't know, you want to say divine intervention or something. Back at the hall, we were saying it's like driving down the road at 60 miles an hour and one car, an approaching car, you stick out a piece of thread, they stick out a needle and you thread the needle. That's about as much chance as you're ever going to have of surviving.

HEMMER: What did he say? Did you ask him any questions about why he did it?

BATES: I didn't personally, no. He was talking more to Shawn.

WILKINSON: He was quite talkative. But he never answered that question, or that question was never put to him, actually. He was jubilant and very happy to survive it, as we were happy that he survived it, too, made our job somewhat easier.

HEMMER: Listen, I apologize for the interruption. I don't mean to interpret things for you. But do you believe this was intentional?

BATES: That's not our call. He went in on his own free will above the Falls. So, yes, I guess it was.

HEMMER: OK, we'll let that one go for a second here. He's going to be charged. Do you believe that's the right course of action now?

WILKINS: Yes, because I mean, he wasn't -- he'll be in big trouble actually for what he's done. He's breached a law. He should be charged with it. We don't encourage that sort of thing here on the Falls. I mean, it pulls all of us in jeopardy as well, as the parks police and any ambulance crew. So we like to see people charged, yes.

BATES: Yes, these rescues are dangerous to us. I mean, we're in peril there, and as the captain there, I'm overlooking the safety of my men, and it's quite concerning to say the least.

HEMMER: Point at the end there is well taken. Thank you gentlemen, Scott Wilkinson and Shawn Bates on the Canadian side of the falls. What a week it's been already. Good luck to you, and thanks for sharing your story with us.

WILKINS: Thank you.

BATES: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com