Firefighters Paddle Through Floodwaters to Save Women and Four Dogs
Two California women, along with their four dogs, were rescued after their encampment was flooded.
Per San Bernardino County Fire, on the morning of Oct. 11, firefighters headed to the Santa Ana River.
They received reports that the river’s level rose, leaving two women and their pets stranded and unable to escape on their own.
When the firefighters arrived, they inflated a rescue boat and paddled through the water to find the victims — who were wearing life jackets.
Victims Located
A short time later, firefighters located the women, placed them in the boat, and put life jackets on them.
They also found their energetic dogs, whom they safely placed in a mesh bag to prevent them from escaping.
Luckily, everyone was found unharmed and made it to shore without incident.
In a video posted to Facebook by San Bernardino County Fire, the firefighters are seen paddling through the river in search of the victims. Later on, viewers get to see them making their way back to shore, helping the women safely climb out of the water.
The department will provide any further updates on the case.
Other Recent Rescues
Firefighters have rescued Californians near floodwaters several times throughout the year. Just hours before the women and their dogs were saved, firefighters carried out another rescue.
At around 8:40 a.m., two homeless people were saved from a sewer tunnel amid rushing waters.
To rescue them, firefighters lowered themselves to the drain using a rope connected to a ladder truck.
Both individuals were also unharmed.
Additionally, that night, the Los Angeles Fire Department saved a man from a storm drain.
He was unable to save himself because of the metal grate on top. But once officials removed it, he climbed out himself.
Floods in California
Similar rescues are not exactly infrequent in California — floods are to be expected in the state.
The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) reports that seven million residents, or one in five Californians, live in areas at risk of flooding.
“Flooding comes in many forms, including river floods, coastal floods, and urban floods where intense rainfall overwhelms storm drainage systems,” the institute’s report reads.
Low-income Californians face the highest risk of being impacted by floods. Per the PPIC, this is because they may have less money for “flood control upgrades” and reconstructing the community after disaster strikes.
