Woman saved by multi-agency response to report of jumper from the Interstate 205 bridge
A woman was saved Tuesday morning after multiple agencies responded to a report of a jumper off the Interstate 205 bridge.
On Tuesday morning (Nov. 9) about 6:50 a.m., multiple emergency agencies were made aware of a possible jumper from the northbound lane of the Interstate 205 bridge over the Columbia River.
A multi-agency response from the Vancouver Fire Department, Portland Fire and the Coast Guard all responded and worked together in the effort to find the citizen. Vancouver Fire Engine 6 responded to Ellsworth Road to search from the shore. Portland Engine 2 responded to where it was believed the individual had jumped from and marked that location for boat crews to have a point of reference to start their search.
Three rescue boats from different agencies (Vancouver Fire Boat-1, Rescue Boat 17 from Portland Fire and a boat from the US Coast Guard) responded to the scene to start a coordinated search.
The citizen was found clinging to a ladder on a bridge pier. Vancouver Fire Boat-1 made an approach from downriver, lowered the front ramp and pulled the citizen to safety. She was treated for hypothermia aboard the boat while being transported to the Portland 42nd Street boat launch where Portland Fire and AMR Paramedics were waiting to provide further evaluation, treatment and transport to a local area hospital.
“This rescue was truly a team effort between multiple agencies. Just two weeks ago, boat crews from Vancouver Fire, Portland Fire, Portland Airport, Clark-Cowlitz Fire and the Coast Guard were training together near this area of the river. That type of training relationship is crucial when faced with a life-threatening water emergency like this morning,” said Tom O’Connor, Vancouver Fire Division chief
Information provided by Vancouver Fire Department.
