A man was rescued Tuesday from the Rock River.

A citizen walking behind the Rockford Public Library, 215 N. Wyman St., at 6:50 p.m. Tuesday noticed a bag sitting on the sidewalk. He heard yelling and saw a man in the river clinging to ice.

The citizen called 911 and Rockford Telecommunications dispatched the Rockford Fire Department for a water rescue.

Two fire engines, two ladder trucks, and three ambulances arrived at the scene within three minutes, according to District Chief Slade Berry. Two district chiefs were on the scene.

Fire personnel saw a man, barely visible, holding onto ice about 200 feet from shore.

Initial attempts to throw a rescue rope and life ring to the man were futile due to his distance from shore, Berry said.

Rescuers donned water rescue suits and harnesses, and proceeded out onto the ice. The rescuers were tethered to the shore and carried a special life-saving ring designed to help make the victim buoyant.

With the buoyancy device fitted around the victim’s chest, other crews deployed an inflatable rescue boat and brought the individual to shore.

Berry said the man was suffering from hypothermia, but responsive, moved to an awaiting ambulance and transported to Swedish American Hospital for evaluation.

Rockford police are investigating the cause of the incident.

It was estimated that the victim was in the water for 30 minutes.

None of the 24 firefighters who responded were injured in the rescue.