DATE OF INCIDENT: 5/28/2009
INCIDENT TYPE: Special Rescue
INCIDENT ADDRESS: West Clark Avenue and N North Street
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99201
NARRATIVE: On May 27, 2009 at 9:57 PM, seven companies of Spokane Firefighters; 2 Water Rescue Companies, 2 Heavy Rescues, 1 Senior Ladder, and 2 Engines under the direction of Battalion Chiefs Brown and Moline responded to the area of West Clark Avenue and N North Street for a reported victim in the river. On arrival, a group of people reported to authorities that an approximately 23-year old woman had been witnessed being in the water and carried away by the river's current an estimated 45-minutes prior to the FD being notified.
A unified command post was established with SPD and concurrence was achieved with the incident's strategic goals. The Fire Department's Water Rescue teams did not deploy into the water due to the River's conditions, however both Fire and Police personnel performed a rapid, thorough search from the ground and bridges for nearly an hour. Aircraft to assist in the search were ordered from Spokane Sheriff's Office and MedStar, unfortunately both were unavailable.
After an extremely difficult discussion, the Incident Command Team collectively decided that in light of the significant amount of time that had passed since the victim was last seen and compounding factors including; extreme darkness, frigid water temperatures and extreme flow rates (20,000+ CFS), and difficult terrain that the Fire Department's rescue efforts would cease and recovery efforts be deferred until daylight.
After an anticipated briefing with Spokane Sheriff's Office and the Spokane Police Department in the morning, the Fire Department will be transferring the information from the incident to Law Enforcement with an expectation that they may reconvene recovery efforts in the morning with their recovery and investigative teams.
PROBABLE CAUSE: N/A
DAMAGE EXTENT: N/A
DOLLAR LOSS:
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 26
MUTUAL AID: None Given
For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at www.spokanefire.blogspot.com
END OF RELEASE
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