Thanks to a 911 call from a passerby, emergency crews say they were on the scene in minutes.

It happened just after 8 a.m. on Bridge Street in Wausau, when police say a 40-year-old man threw himself into the river.

Wausau's Deputy Chief says without that call, the man may have not lasted long in the cold water.

When emergency crews arrived they found him swimming in circles in the Wisconsin River.

Within minutes, they convinced him to come to shore.

Officers tell us the man was cold, but seemed okay otherwise.

The Deputy Chief says tips from citizens can save a life.

"Police can't be everywhere at the same time watching what everybody's doing when they're out in public we greatly rely on the citizens to notify us of criminal or disorderly conduct," says Chief Deputy Bryan Hilts with the Wausau Police Department.

He says they follow up on every tip they receive.

The calls help them respond faster and increase the possibility of a positive outcome, like the case this morning.

The name of the man involved has not been released.