One Dead After Attempted Civilian Rescue by Tractor Failed
The Sheriff’s Marine Unit from a 2017 photo
Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
On Feb. 27, 2019, at about 8:20 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence on the 800 block of Sage Road in Ferndale for the report of an adult male victim overtaken by flood waters and three subjects trapped inside a tractor.
The reporting party told dispatchers that at about 7 p.m., the male victim attempted to walk to his residence from a nearby barn through approximately 4 to 5 feet of flood waters when he became distressed by the fast-moving current. Two adult subjects and one juvenile attempted to rescue the victim by driving a tractor through the flood waters. The tractor stalled due to the high water prior to the subjects reaching the victim. The subjects lost sight of the victim while attempting to rescue him. Deputies also learned that three additional juveniles were trapped inside of the residence due to flood waters surrounding the home.
The Sheriff’s Marine Unit, Special Services Unit, Search and Rescue Posse and the Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department arrived to conduct a search and rescue for the subjects. A Sheriff’s Marine deputy and a Search and Rescue Posse member were able to reach the trapped subjects on the tractor utilizing a jetboat. The three subjects on the tractor were rescued and transported to a safe location. The three juveniles inside the residence were also rescued and transported to a safe location.
A United States Coast Guard helicopter assisted Sheriff’s deputies and posse members in searching for the outstanding male victim. Due to dangerous conditions, the search was suspended just before 11 p.m.
Sheriff’s deputies resumed the search early this morning, February 28, and located the male victim deceased.
The name of the deceased is being withheld at this time and will be released by the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office following all next-of-kin notification.
Earlier Chapter: Emergency Personnel Are Rushing to a Report of Multiple People Stuck on Tractor in Waters Near Fernbridge; One in the Water Downstream
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😪listened to the whole things .. so terribly sad.
Prayers for the family
Yes it is so sad I was hoping we woldn’t have any deaths with this flood.
Great job on the responders making sure this wasn’t a worse tragedy. It was painful to watch how hard it was to respond. Great reporting too, Kym. RIP
Prayers for the family. RIP
Amen.
🕯RIP🕊
So sorry to read this I was hoping for a positive outcome but sadly it was not to be!!! RIP :-[[
You listen to news and EVACUATE. Unbelievable. God rest his soul.
It’s just not that easy with the cows. They HAVE to be milked of they can get very sick….and there is no where to take them…..
In an emergency like this the boss should have an emergency plan and keep in contact. Herd them into town maybe? IDK, are the cows even alive now?
Not that easy. Please don’t judge. Coulda, shoulda woulda.
I’m sure the cows are fine… the barns are often built on bumps or off the ground some… you have to understand the cows HAVE to be milked, or they will get mastitis.You can’t just move 1000’s of milk cows to other places, there is no where. They usually stay with the barns. This came up fast and higher than anticipated. There is a dip between this barn and house…this is tragic. Try not to judge
A human being drowned. But hey, as long as the cows are ok everything’s cool I guess. WTF?
Condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. RIP
Those of us that keep animals recognize our obligations to their wellbeing. The best people actually care what happens to them, even if they are commercial products.
Nothing has said why this man was out at his barn but judging him when you haven’t the knowledge to is wrong. He would not have risked travelling unless there was reason. I’m sure he judged he needed to act, both to go out there and come back. I have taken a major risk to go tend to an animal who sick and also have waited with an animal I thought was at risk of being flooded, left them when I thought they were safe and had them saved by someone else when my judgement turned out wrong. It’s not easy to care for animals as it is to comment about it.
Unless you know something you aren’t sharing, we are both speculating. Why is your speculation more valid than mine?
If you have information to add beyond what is already here, share it. If you don’t and simply want to police my comments, piss off.
Because yours is speculation to condemn someone not even mentioned in any report based on the assuming bad behaviour of dairy farmer owners in general and incapable dairy workers. As for knowing more- why yes I do, having both been responsible and cared for up to 100 large animals at a time. Something you clearly have no experience in doing by your blythe remarks about how simply it is to move them. I’ll wait to get some facts before assuming evil from anyone.
Not sorry that bothers you.
I made no comment about moving the animals. Try reading.
They have released the name of the deceased man. Why don’t you check and see if he was the owner of a herd. If he was, I’ll eat crow. I still suspect it was a worker who drowned while the boss was home safe and warm.
Nonhuman animals are important. I just don’t think they’re as important as a human being. Perhaps you disagree.
The point was not whether he owned the herd or not. It was assuming the person who did, ” while the boss was home safe and warm” , which even if true, is a whole lot malicious assigning of guilt based on nothing but your own fantasies… Since there is no facts in evidence at all. Waiting until there are some facts before insinuating evil behaviour might just be a good idea.
The dairy industry in general treats it’s livestock better than it’s workforce. After all, a replacement cow must be purchased, but new workers are available for free.
I will be surprised if the deceased man was the owner of a herd. I suspect he was an employee of someone who spent the night warm, dry, and safe.
I suspect you don’t have a clue how hard the work is but can’t stop commenting anyway. Have a little respect. It’s an incredibly hard job. There are always people who are selfish and self centered but most dairy men in the area, with or without hired help, were most likely out in the weather, moving feed, cleaning crap, repairing damage, cleaning ditches, jury rigging fixes , worrying about whether they had done everything they could, etc until there was no chance of doing more.
How heartbreaking for the young people trying to rescue what was probably a relative. My deepest sympathies for their family’s loss.
A huge salute to the kids for their valiant efforts to save the life of another person and to the rescue teams that rescued the children.
I pray that peace that comes from knowing they did their best under the circumstances, will overcome their sorrow and flashbacks.
My deepest condolences to his loved ones.
Yup… they tried. Hat’s off to them.
The attempted rescuers on the tractor were noble and brave. I’m certain that the deceased wouldn’t want them to be unhappy as they go on with their lives, rather, be at peace with their valiant actions. Heroic people, and the rescuers of the attempted rescuers as well!
RIP Sending you prayers
Very tragic!! People underestimate flood waters and it doesn’t work out well.
Kym , there was a mention of a Go Fund Me page for the family. Do you know a link?
https://www.gofundme.com/ferndale-man-falls-victim-to-flood-waters?fbclid=IwAR23ZbirwZVHqH3wHRqEZDpgwk6OjYnKJ9GKEN2t4ovJZB3OwlXgSSNOLK0