Shelter Cove Fire Rescues Trapped Woman as Vehicle Teeters on Embankment
Shelter Cove Firefighters working at the scene to care for the patient. [Image from Chief Nick Pape]
At approximately 1:40 PM today, the Shelter Cove Fire Department (SCFD), along with multiple mutual aid agencies, responded to a reported traffic accident involving a vehicle over a bank with a trapped victim at 10 Seal Court, near the intersection with Surf Point.
SCFD’s 24/7 duty officer arrived on scene in under five minutes and quickly determined the situation was less severe than initially reported. The vehicle was found teetering at the edge of a 25-foot embankment above the beach, not fully over the bank as dispatched. The duty officer made immediate contact with the victim and determined she was trapped but had only minor injuries. This allowed SCFD to cancel several incoming mutual aid resources, including an air ambulance, Cal Fire, Whale Gulch Fire, Southern Humboldt Technical Rescue, and others.
Within minutes, seven additional SCFD volunteer firefighters arrived fully equipped to assist. The team quickly stabilized the vehicle and, using a set of electric jaws of life, lifted it off the patient’s leg, all within 10 minutes of the initial dispatch. The patient was then loaded into a waiting ambulance for evaluation and later transferred to an ALS ground ambulance from Garberville with minor injuries.
According to witnesses at a nearby coffee shop, the incident occurred as the driver attempted to park. After exiting the vehicle, it began to roll forward. When she tried to re-enter and apply the brake, the car lurched over the curb, pinning her leg beneath the driver’s side rocker panel.
This incident could have had a much more serious outcome. Thanks to the rapid response of our on-call officer, the professionalism of our volunteer firefighters, and the quick action of bystanders who called 911, the situation was resolved safely and efficiently.
SCFD extends its sincere appreciation to the bystanders who initiated the emergency response and to all of our mutual aid partners who stand ready to assist when needed.
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Our volunteer crews go above and beyond. Please consider donating to Shelter Cove Fire District or to a Fire Department near you.
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ALDERPOINT FIRE
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ALDERPOINT, CA 95511
BELL SPRINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT
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Laytonville, CA 95454
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Blue Lake, CA 95525
BRICELAND FIRE
POB 1249
REDWAY, 95560.
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Bridgeville, CA 95526
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PO Box 33
Carlotta, CA 95528
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HC 2 Box 3951
Trinity Center, CA, 96091
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140 Fire House Rd
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PO Box 485
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4584 Fieldbrook Rd.
Fieldbrook, CA. 95519
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320 S. Fortuna Blvd.
Fortuna, CA 95540
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PO Box 10
Douglas City, CA 96024
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Garberville, CA 95542
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Gasquet, CA 95543
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Salyer, CA 95563
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195 Hyampom Rd
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Honeydew, CA, 95545
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11121 HWY 96
Hoopa, CA, 95546
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22509 Hyampom Rd.
Hyampom, CA 96046
HYDESVILLE FIRE
3494 CA 36
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JUNCTION CITY FIRE
PO Box 418
Junction City, CA 96048
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Kneeland, CA. 95549
https://www.kneelandfire.org/i-want-to/support-the-department
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Zenia, CA 95595
LAYTONVILLE FIRE
44950 Willis Ave
Laytonville Ca 95454
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P.O. Box 191
Leggett ca 95585
Lewiston Fire Department
PO Box 113
Lewiston, CA 96052
Phone: (530) 778-3711
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567 Park St.
Loleta, Ca. 95551
(707) 733-5407
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Myers Flat, CA 95554
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Redway, Ca 95560
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(Donate online)
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Petrolia, CA 95558-0169
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Phillipsville, CA 95559
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Piercy, CA, 95587
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Hayfork, CA 96041
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Redcrest, CA 95569
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REDWAY, CA 95560
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50 West Center St.
Rio Dell, CA 95562
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PO Box 662
Miranda, CA 95553
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PO Box 235
Salyer, CA 95563
Phone: (530) 629-2778
Samoa Fire
1982 Gass St
Samoa, CA 95564
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PO Box 185
Scotia, CA 95565
SHELTER COVE FIRE
9126 Shelter Cove Road
Whitethorn, CA 95589
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PO Box 2122
Redway, CA 95560
SOUTHERN TRINITY VFD, (a bi-county organization serving both eastern Humboldt and Southern Trinity)
P.O. Box 16
Mad River, Ca 95552
SOUTHERN TRINITY AREA RESCUE (STAR), a bi-county EMS/volunteer ambulance service
321 Van Duzen Rd
Bridgeville Ca 95526
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Redway, CA 95560
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Trinity Center, CA 96091
Phone: (530) 266-3420
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Weaverville, CA 96093
Phone: (530) 623-6156
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PO Box 2143,
Trinidad, CA, CA 95570
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76850B Usal Road
Whitethorn, CA 95589
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Whitethorn, CA 95589
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74 E. Commercial St
Willits, CA 95490
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P.O. Box 51
Willow Creek, CA 95573
These volunteers work hard and long hours to keep their communities safe. They deserve more thanks and appreciation, even though they’re not looking for any.
Country Joe, I completely agree with your comment. Maybe holding a nice dinner in their honor would be great. Some kind of diploma for each first responder with a big THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE and their name on it. Put in a nice frame so they can hang it on their wall. They are always on call and respond as quickly as possible to a situation. You could not ask for a better group of dedicated men and women!
I assume it’s not the same lady who got rescued from the kayak ?
I don’t think so. The young lady that was rescued was down by Dyersville in the Eel River.
Wonder if it’s a very old vehicle, a manual transmission. This kind of thing happens (almost) with me once in a while in my old stick-shift truck, in that if i don’t pull the e-brake hard enough, it sometimes isn’t tight, and when idling at a gate on a slight slope, she (the truck) might roll a little bit when i leave her in Neutral. But with newer vehicles, you usually have them in Park when you exit, so even if the brake’s not doing its job, the thing doesn’t roll.
Hope she gets better real soon; sounds like no picnic having your vehicle come to rest on your leg.
Looks like a newer Hyundai Tucson in the photo. I believe they’re all automatic/AWD or EV models now. But yeah, it doesn’t take much to start rolling if left in neutral.