Citizen fishermen played a crucial role in rescuing a person from the Columbia River on Saturday, June 27. The Vancouver Fire Department responded to a 911 call at approximately 10:30 a.m. and dispatched multiple resources, including Fire Boat 1, which was already on patrol.
Rescue Efforts
The citizen fishermen, who were in the area, located the person in the water and brought them aboard their vessel. Fire Boat 1 then maneuvered alongside the fishing boat, and firefighters utilized the vessel’s bow-loading rescue ramp to transfer the patient onto the fireboat.
Engineer paramedic Casey Holmes, who was on his final shift before retiring after nearly 26 years of service with the Vancouver Fire Department, safely piloted Fireboat 1 back to shore. The patient was then transferred to VFD Truck 1 and AMR personnel for further care.
The Vancouver Fire Department recognized the courageous actions of the citizen fishermen, who put themselves at risk to help the person in distress. The department also thanked the Portland Fire Bureau, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit, and AMR for their assistance and coordinated response.
Original reporting: Clark County Today (Vancouver WA) — read the source article.
