Press Release

Water Rescue

Date:

11/30/2009 (Last updated: 12/01/2009)

Summary:

On Sunday November 29, 2009, shortly after 2:00 pm, Yuma Fire Department personnel were sent to the area of the West Main Canal and 16th Avenue regarding a report that a man had fallen into the canal.

Contact:

Mike ErfertPublic Information OfficerCommunity Risk Reduction
 

On Sunday November 29, 2009, shortly after 2:00 pm, Yuma Fire Department personnel were sent to the area of the West Main Canal and 16th Avenue regarding a report that a man had fallen into the canal. YFD personnel arrived on scene and began searching for the victim. Firefighters saw what appeared to be a body near the bottom of the canal in at least 6 feet of water.

A water rescue was quickly conducted, with Fire Captain John Whitson diving down to the victim bringing him to the surface and then to shore. The unidentified male was removed from the canal, not breathing and in cardiac arrest. Paramedics began treatment and transported the victim to Yuma Regional Medical Center. From the time Fire Department personnel were dispatched until the victim was out of the water, was 12 minutes. At last report, the victim was in the Intensive Care Unit at YRMC in critical condition.

Follow the Yuma Fire Department on Twitter

Follow the Yuma Fire Department on Twitter. The address is www.twitter.com/YumaFireDept. (This link will take you to an external website that is not part of the City of Yuma official website.)

Recent News

 
Yuma Fire Department and Rural/Metro Announce Partnership and Transition Plan for Emergency Ambulance Transportation in the City of Yuma

The agreement follows the decision by the Arizona Department of Health Services to allow the Yuma Fire Department to transport patients who require emergency 911, Advanced Life Support level services delivered by certified paramedics within the City. Continued... 2/9/2012

Fire House Facts & Electrical Safety

From Sunday January 29, 2012 through Saturday February 4, 2012, the Yuma Fire Department responded to 270 emergency calls for service. Continued... 2/8/2012

Fire House Facts & Smoke Alarms

From Sunday January 22, 2012 through Saturday January 28, 2012, the Yuma Fire Department responded to 257 emergency calls for service. Continued... 2/2/2012

Apartment Fire - La Mariposa Villas

On Thursday January 26, 2012, just before 4:00 pm a fire was reported at the La Mariposa Villas, 701 East 24th St. Continued... 1/27/2012

More Recent News...

Featured Items

 
The Essentials

Customer service. For the overwhelming majority of our calls for service our customers measure us against the following standards Continued...

20th Century and Beyond

The first motorized and self propelled fire apparatus was a brand new 1916 Continued...

Early History

The early history of the Yuma Fire Department reads more like a chapter of fiction than real facts. Up until the year 1897, the village of Yuma was without a means to fight fire. Continued...

Family Disaster Plan And Personal Survival Guide

This step-by-step guide for personal and family emergency preparedness shows what you and your family can do BEFORE a natural disaster strikes. (PDF) Continued...

City logo as link back to home page