LEHIGH TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Lehigh Township police officers and a local resident helped save the life of an elderly woman who fell into a pond Saturday afternoon, according to a statement from the Lehigh Township Police Department.
On Jan. 11, 2026, at 2:36 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 3400 block of West Walker Road after receiving a 911 medical pendant activation. Officers Batihk and Stinemire arrived at the scene and observed an elderly woman waving her arms for help.
As the officers approached, they discovered the woman had fallen into a pond on the property. With assistance from a nearby neighbor, the officers pulled her from the water and safely moved her into her home.
The woman told officers she had been cleaning her pond pump when she accidentally fell into the pond. Northampton Regional EMS responded to the scene and transported her to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Police said the woman’s body temperature had dropped to 88 degrees upon evaluation, indicating a dangerous level of hypothermia.
In its statement, the Lehigh Township Police Department credited Officers Batihk and Stinemire with saving the woman’s life and emphasized the importance of medical alert pendants for elderly residents.
“Even though the majority of pendant activations that we get are accidental, this incident is proof that they work and could quite possibly save a life,” the department said.
Falls are a major public health issue for older Americans. More than 14 million adults aged 65 and older report a fall each year, and nearly 3 million are treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Falls are also the leading cause of both nonfatal and fatal injuries among older adults.
In recent years, more than 38,000 adults age 65 and older died from unintentional falls nationwide.
Police encouraged families and caregivers to consider medical alert devices for elderly loved ones, noting that quick notification and response can be critical in emergencies.
