June 13

SWIFT WATER RESCUE: 17600 block of 201st Place Southeast, Cedar River. Firefighters were dispatched to a swift water rescue at 4:30 p.m. in the Cedar River involving two people. Responding were eight firefighters from Maple Valley fire with swift water rescue training with two dive teams and King County paramedics. When firefighters arrived they found one of the individuals who was able to get out of the river and the other was able to reach a branch in the river to stand on. One rescuer was put into the water with a tagline and made contact with them. Life jackets were put onto the two and an additional rescuer was put into the water to assist getting both back to shore. No one was injured.

June 10

TRAPPED IN CULVERT: 19200 block of 268 Avenue Southeast. At 5:38 p.m. firefighters and emergency medical personnel were called because a 10-year-old girl’s lower legs were trapped in a large culvert and she was submerged in water up to her neck.

Twelve firefighters and two King County paramedics responded. The girl’s brother, in an attempt to help her, also got trapped. Firefighters immediately initiated rescue efforts on both. The male patient was freed however the vacuum created from the water pressure was so great where the female patient was located that she could not be pulled from the culvert. Time was of the essence to free her before severe hypothermia began.

As one firefighter held her head above water, the others cut the culvert with a saw and spread it open. This relieved the water pressure and she was freed. Paramedics transported both to a local hospital.

June 7-13

Fires: 2

Emergency medical services: 22

Motor vehicle accidents: 2

Hazardous conditions: 2

Service calls: 6

Good intent calls: 4

False alarm and false calls: 3

Total: 41