Aug. 4

LOST TEENS: Five teenage boys were hiking for several days and became disoriented, ran out of water, nearly ran out of food and were ill prepared for their trip when a woman working for the Army Corps of Engineers spotted them along the White River near the Mud Mountain Dam at about 3:30 p.m.

Communication between the two parties was difficult because they were on opposite sides of the river and sound of the river made it hard to hear each other. The boys informed the woman they needed help because of their situation. The woman went to her office and called 911.

Enumclaw Fire responded and requested King County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit to help with the rescue. Once the marine unit arrived on scene they requested Mountain View Fire and Rescue’s swift water team to assist. Mountain View Fire and Rescue came with six swift water technicians, and gear including a boat, life jackets and ropes.

It was decided to use two boats for the rescue and the teams would just ferry the kids across with their gear. The teams set up safety measures and organized the gear for the rescue and briefed everyone of the plan.

Once rescuers arrived on the other side of the river they found that the teenagers had no injuries and appeared to be okay. The teenagers were taken across the river and eventually made it to the Enumclaw Fire Department where their parents were going to pick them up.

The King County Sheriff Office is still investigating.

On a side note; The boys had planned on going through Mount Rainier National Park and try to end up in Puyallup. The teens had maps, but did not have a topographical map, and they had planned on bushwhacking through the brush instead of following a trail. They ran out of water and were drinking river water to stay hydrated. One of the boys had a cell phone and they were going to call their parents everyday to let them know they were OK, but once they got into the forest they lost cell phone coverage.

Safety message from Tim Perciful, fire and life safety educator

It is important to have a good plan and be well equipped when going out on a hike. You should also let people know where you are going to be and be sure to follow a know trail in case something goes wrong and you can’t rely on your cell phone in case there is an emergency. Proper equipment should include water filters and possibly purification tablets, enough food for everyone in your party, and adequate clothing including proper footwear. The boys were lucky that someone saw them in the remote area near the dam because their situation could have been much worse.

Fire report

July 30-Aug. 4

• Fire: 2
• EMS/Rescue: 20
• Service Call: 1
• Good Intent: 2
• False Call: 1
• Total Calls: 26