Two firefighters threw a floating rescue rope to a boater who was stranded on a rock — while wearing hip-waders — in deep water in the East Fork of the Lewis River on Wednesday evening, likely saving his life.
“He was standing in the middle of the river in chest-high water, on a rock,” said Battalion Chief Abe Rommel with Clark County Fire & Rescue. “He was in deep water and somehow he found a rock he could stand on and be stable.”
Firefighters were called to Lewisville Park about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday and, when the first engine crew arrived, someone flagged them to where the man was stranded in the east side of the park, Rommel said.
Battle Ground Engine 27, staffed by Capt. Scott Galster and Firefighter-paramedic Dave Bridges, found the man on his precarious perch. Deciding he would become too hypothermic if they waited for the Technical Rescue Team, they threw a specially made floating rope about 30 feet to the man, who grabbed it.
The rescuers then pulled him to shore and found that he was conscious and breathing but cold. AMR Northwest paramedics took the man to a hospital because he was hypothermic.
His name was not available due to federal medical-privacy laws that take effect when an agency including a fire department provides medical care.
The man was wearing a flotation vest, but those hip waders, full of water, would have weighed him down if he tried to swim.
The river is running high from rains and snow melt, but the water wasn’t moving fast where the man was, Rommel said.
“Three or four gallons of water came out of his waders when we got them off him,” Rommel said.
Had the man remained in the water for 10 or 15 more minutes, he likely would have become too cold to stay on the rock, and too cold to grasp the rope and help with his own rescue, Rommel said.
“Engine 27 did a good job,” Rommel said.
The Technical Rescue Team, staffed by specially trained firefighters from Vancouver, Fire District 6 and Clark County Fire & Rescue, had been on the way, but was called back once the man was rescued. The team is equipped with extensive rope and pulley systems, harnesses and patient baskets that are used in cliff rescues, water rescues and more.
Also on the way, but called back, was the Heavy Rescue truck from the Vancouver Fire Department. The truck carries special rescue tools and equipment.
The boat the man became separated from was a small raft about 6 to 8 feet long with two pontoons, Rommel said.
John Branton: 360-735-4513 or john.branton@columbian.com.
