Riverside Fire Department

River Incident



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Incident Name: River Incident

Date Reported: 3/15/2023

Time Reported: 1036 Hours

Incident Location: Van Buren and Santa Ana River

Ward #: Ward 7 Hemenway

Type of Incident: Water Rescue

Incident Number: RIV #23-008876

Control Time: 3/15/2023 1335 Hours

Fatalities:

Critical:

Moderate:

Minor:

Non Injury: 2

Displaced Persons: 2

Loss:

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Cause:

  • Unintentional
  • Evacuations:

    Evacuation Comments:



    Resources Assigned


    Chief Officer(s): 3

    Engine Companies: 4

    Truck Companies: 2

    Squad(s):

    Ambulance(s): 1

    Firefighter(s):

    Safety Officer(s): 1

    Public Information Officer(s): 1

    Fire Investigator(s):

    Overhead Personnel:

    Mutual Aid:

  • Mutual Aid Received
  • Specialized Equipment:

  • US&R
  • EOC:

    Utilities:

    Red Cross:

    Percent (%) Contained or Completed:

    Total (%) of Perimeter that will be Contained:

    Incident Size Acreage:


    Current Situation


    (Recent updates are posted at the top of the Current Situation)

    On Wednesday March 15, 2023, at 10:36 a.m., The City of Riverside Fire Department responded a water rescue response to the Santa Ana River Bottom Adjacent to the Van Buren Bridge.  Firefighters arrived on scene to discover two adults and one dog stuck on an island surrounded by fast moving water.  CAL-Fire Riverside County Fire Department Task Force 17 assisted with their swift water rescue working together with City of Riverside Water Rescue Team 3. 

    Firefighters had to lower the rescue boat over the side of the bridge and utilize chainsaws to cut through thick heavy vegetation to clear a patch to an area to utilize the rescue boat to cross river to the island.  Firefighters removed the two adults and one dog to a safe area outside of the River Bottom.  Both adults were non-injured and requested assistance from the Riverside Homeless Solutions, however they did not remain on scene to receive services.

    There were no firefighter injuries.  Supporting agencies were CAL-Fire Riverside County Fire Department, RPD, RSO, AMR and San Bernardino County Sheriff Helicopter.   


    Assisting Aid Agencies


  • AMR
  • CAL-Fire
  • Homeless Outreach Team
  • RPD

  • Incident Commander: Battalion Chief Bruce Vanderhorst

    Prepared By: Battalion Chief Brian Guzzetta

    Date / Time Posted: 023/15/2023 1145

    Information Center: 951.826.5321