Hoax call brings search and rescue teams to Lincoln Woods State Park

LINCOLN, R.I. (WLNE) — A hoax phone call prompted a large emergency response in Lincoln Woods State Park Wednesday night.

A viewer shared video from the Olney Pond boat launch where first responders were staged in preparation for a water search while DEM officials put an inflatable boat in the water.

According to the Lincoln Police Department, a call came around 7 p.m. reporting a person in distress and possibly missing in the water at Olney Pond.

Municipalities that responded included Cumberland firefighters, Lincoln firefighters and police, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and Rhode Island State Police.

Dive teams were also prepared and were on standby in case their rescue and recovery services would be needed.

State Police confirmed that the call was a hoax and companies responding were removed from the scene shortly after.

No information regarding where the call originated from was immediately available.

This incident comes less than a week after 46-year-old Javier Rivera, of Woonsocket, went into the water at Wescott Reservoir to help distressed kayakers but didn’t come back.

ABC 6 News reached out to Rhode Island State Police and the DEM for additional information and are waiting to hear back.