The sheriff’s boat, staffed with deputies including a rescue diver/paramedic immediately responded while requesting assistance from allied agencies. The victim had no pulse and was not breathing. CPR was continued by deputies while they began piloting up the river to rendezvous with additional resources.
County Fire Boat 32 heard the initial request for assistance and responded from Pirate’s Cove. Additional patrol boats from San Bernardino County Sheriff also moved into the area while San Bernardino County Sheriff’s rescue helicopter was launched to the scene. Resources intercepted a few miles north of Topock Gorge where the victim was transferred to Boat 32’s paramedic crew while deputies from adjacent boats also boarded to provide continuous medical support of the patient. During this phase, the patient’s heart began beating on its own, however he was still not breathing. The patient was then escorted up to Pirate’s Cove for transfer to the rescue helicopter. Upon transfer to the helicopter, the patient had begun breathing and was starting to regain consciousness.
The patient was flown to University Medical Center, Las Vegas. Upon arrival, he was fully awake and talking with rescuers.
Holiday weekends along the Colorado River and Lake Havasu bring boating and water enthusiasts that number in the tens of thousands. San Bernardino County Fire and Sheriff along with our Arizona partners staff several additional resources over the holidays for rapid response to this very type of incident. The soaring cliffs of Topock Gorge block cell service along the water. Had it not been for the proactive patrol activities this incident would have had a very different outcome.
San Bernardino County Fire operates fire boats out of Park Moabi and Havasu Landing. On holiday weekends they are hard staffed and on the water for rapid response to watercraft accidents, fires and medical/traumatic emergencies. San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Air Rescue helicopter is staffed with two firefighter/paramedics for technical rescue, aerial fire suppression and rapid medical treatment and transport.