Ferndale VFD Releases Details on Multi-Agency Water Rescue Earlier Today
Press release from the Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department:
A coordinated multi agency effort saved the life of a 72 year old woman today after her vehicle became trapped in rising floodwaters and began floating downriver near the intersection of Fulmor Road and Goble Lane in Ferndale.The emergency call reported a harrowing scene: a vehicle swept into the current with the driver still inside. At the time of the initial report, water levels had already reached the woman’s chest, creating a race against time for local first responders.The complexity of the scene required a massive mobilization of local and state resources. Because the vehicle was unstable and drifting, a diverse group of agencies converged on the riverbank to coordinate the extraction.[All photos provided by the Ferndale VFD]
- Ferndale Fire Department & Eel River Valley Technical Rescue Team (ERVTRT): Provided specialized water rescue personnel.
- Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office & CHP: Managed scene safety and logistics.
- City Ambulance: Staged for immediate medical intervention.
- Humboldt County Public Works: Assisted with regional access.
- U.S. Coast Guard: Deployed a helicopter for aerial extraction.
- Rescue swimmers from Ferndale Fire Department and ERVTRT entered the water to reach the semi submerged car and stabilize the victim.
In a display of community spirit and ingenuity, the Cahill Dairy provided critical assistance. The dairy’s operators utilized their heavy duty farm tractors to assist rescuers in navigating the difficult terrain and turbulent water, proving instrumental in the positioning of the rescue teams.
With the vehicle’s position precarious, the Coast Guard Helicopter arrived on the scene, and a rescue basket was deployed.
The 72 year old woman was successfully lifted from the water and into the aircraft. She was immediately flown to St. Joseph Hospital for treatment and evaluation. While her current condition has not been released, the swift actions of the “boots on the ground”, and those in the air, prevented a certain tragedy.
“This rescue highlights the incredible cooperation between our professional agencies and the local community,” said Chief Rick Nicholson of Ferndale Fire Department. “From the technical swimmers to the Cahill family’s tractors, everyone played a part in saving a life today.”
https://www.facebook.com/zach.cahill.5/posts/pfbid05JaeyXBbPdm1ZPzjchKJCL5u9G6eon9HK6ZgaAEPWwXisujWp3DFhPdqLopKeTkXl
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Big thanks to everyone involved, everyday hero’s ❤️
Her vehicle was swept into flood waters or driven into flood waters??
This Eejit drove in Then got swept away. Pure stupidity.
[Edit: deleted by Kym]
Lol I already did that! Many years ago! I got smarter for the experience too. Seriously tho…nothing but rain and more rain and warnings and MORE WARNINGS about DO NOT drive onto flooded roads. Many CAUTIONS and ATTICLES IN PRINT and right here on RHBB plus many many articles on LOCO And many many TV segments about DO NOT ENTER FLOODED ROADS and NWS plus every VFD and Sheriffs dept. Plus local PDs all issuing ALERTS, WARNINGS, CAUTIONS and CLOSURES All over N. Cal about AVOID FLOODED ROADS. And this person somehow missed all of it and drove into a flooded roadway.
Sure. Totally normal. Completely understandable!! Lololz!!! OK
I have true Compassion for Every Person on Earth. I really do. But absolutely NO PATIENCE with stupidity!
Thank you for your time.
BTW the smoky smell is hard to wash off! Smoky OG Again says Merry X-mas and leave a fatty and a PBR along with the milk and cookies for old Santa! She will dig it!
This person caused the taxpayer 10s of thousands of dollars and risked the safety of the brave responders. How many “turn around don’t drown” warnings does it take to make stupid people listen. Arizona passed a law several years ago that people could be billed for the ENTIRE cost of removing them from the situation they placed themselves in. Maybe a bill for several thousand dollars might get her attention!!!!
Thanks bridgeville mike! Great minds think alike!
Now there is a Good Idea. Bill the person for the Entire Cost of removing them from the situation the person Put Themselves in.
She did not survive Bridgevillemike. Lots of people make poor choices, that is just the way we are. I have made poor choices in my life, have you.
This woman lost her car, had the scare of her life and had it all play out in public. She can not but know she made a big mistake.
The real question is why some are driven to rub it in with such needless personal venom in a public forum. What do they get out of it to be so petty and rude?
Well said.
I would say that she unfortunately made a tragic mistake. Calling it “pure stupidity” is really not a nice thing to say, considering she paid for it with her life. A hugh thank you to everyone involved with the rescue. I know in my heart each one of you did your level best.
Martin, do you know something we don’t? As far as we know, the woman is alive and well.
I hope just a confusion with the headline on the other story today about the elderly woman swept away at MacKerricher. One is enough for now!
This is the latest that I’ve found concerning the rescued 72 year old woman from flood waters in Ferndale…
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2025/dec/22/sheriffs-office-recaps-rescue-72-year-old-woman-ne/
“The woman was successfully removed from her vehicle and transported by the USCG helicopter to a local hospital, where she is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.”
__________________________________
There was a fatality in Shasta County, and also another fatality of a 72 year old woman in Mendocino County, who was swept into the ocean off the rocks within or near MacKerricher State Park, who was rescued but died after reaching the beach…
I thought it was coincidental that it was another 72 year old woman…
A Christmas miracle…
Hat tip and Big Respect to all of the Heroes and Guardian Angels involved, Coast Guard, Rescue Swimmers, Rick Nicholson, Ferndale Fire Department, CHP, HCSO, ERVTRT, City Ambulance, including all of the many communications officers and coordinating emergency dispatchers involved…
And last, but, certainly not least, a huge shout out to The Cahill Dairy, and the Cahill Family…
Thank you all very much…
Special Specific Shout Out To Humboldt County Public Works, and their intrepid crews, for Heroically aiding in this rescue, as well…
I regret overlooking that…
You guys have been going above and beyond, this whole storm system…
Special Thanks, for clearing the way for everyone…
Stay safe, everyone…
There’s no such thing as miracles and in any case this was not one. Just a routine water rescue of a stupid person.
Just because you are a miracle denier doesn’t make them any less real to the people that experience them. As a stupid person myself, I thank God for all of the times friends and family have intervened on my behalf.
That’s just your opinion…
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/california-baby-abdomen-pregnancy/3820677/
‘ ‘I do believe in miracles’: ‘
“California baby born after the rarest of pregnancies”
“Suze Lopez, a 41-year-old nurse who lives in Bakersfield, California, didn’t know she was pregnant with her second child until days before giving birth.”
Just 1 in 30,000 pregnancies occur in the abdomen instead of the uterus, and those that make it to full term “are essentially unheard of – far, far less than 1 in a million,” said Dr. John Ozimek, medical director of labor and delivery at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles where Ryu was born.”…
“On Aug. 18, a medical team delivered the 8-pound (3.6-kilogram) baby while she was under full anesthesia, removing the cyst during the same surgery. She lost nearly all of her blood, Ozimek said, but the team got the bleeding under control and gave her transfusions.”
“I do believe in miracles,” she said, looking down at her baby. “God gave us this gift — the best gift ever.” ”
___________________________________
I’m definitely a believer…
Tomorrow will be this miraculous child’s first Christmas…
Merry Christmas everyone…
Perhaps some of the commenters on here could use a little empathy and compassion. Regardless of how this poor woman got into this situation, I am sure she was terrified beyond belief. My initial reaction when I first read this unfolding story was that of her safety and prayed she didn’t suffer a stroke or a heart attack from unfathomable fear. Heartfelt thanks to EVERYONE that selflessly contributed to her well being and subsequent rescue.
Her actions put other people’s lives at risk. It must have been obvious the rd was flooded, she should have turned around.
So what? That’s the first responders job; save people and leave out the judgement.
So what you say? Lololz! I’m just gossiping here now but the 2 first responders I know who are Complete Professionals On The Job and do their work with No Judgement often remark in private How Totally Effn Stupid many of the people who make their jobs Hard are. BTW only the CG is designed to rescue. Everyone else is mostly designed to put out the fire or pick up the pieces on the hwy!
Or, stand around with their hands in their pockets.
Many of us know a first responder or two personally. They can hold whatever opinions they wish out of earshot of those they’re rescuing, but do the job taxpayers paid them to do, in a professional manner, or find a different line of work. If rage and opinion cause them hesitation, that helps no one.
Back in the nineties a Humvee with several National Guardsmen washed off the road out there after dark. They were standing on the roof in complete panic, as they feared the fence they were snagged on would snap.
The CG bird showed up, determined they were too close to power lines, with winds too high for rescue and delivered the bad news.
The result was an open mike with three guys screaming for “Help or we’re gonna die”.
Pilot dumped fuel and got all three out, by golly.
Have recording of radio coms
between NG boys and CG Helicopter and man is it a nail biter.
Glad Gram is OK. My advice would be to keep her head on a swivel, as there have been reports of reindeer running around.
Screw that. I’ve done many really stupid things that terrified me. Neither she nor I deserve any special consideration or sympathy for it.
Yay! So glad this lady will be able to spend Christmas warm and safe!
So important for the people posting negativity to understand that the lady in question was delivering food to homebound seniors who otherwise would not have a meal. She was doing something positive. So all you keyboard warriors, what kind act did you undertake today?
So delivering food justifies putting a whole bunch of first responders at risk. Not to mention WHERE IS THE FOOD. gone gone gone.
It doesn’t make a damn bit of difference if she was delivering meals to seniors or a load of meth to a drug house. She fucked up big time.
That’s the spirit…!!!
Judge, yet ye be judged not…
Such wonderful humans!!!
It’s inspiring when humans come together to save a life; often human, sometimes animal or bird. This demonstration of the value of life is heartwarming! Especially when there are many callous people in the spotlight, acting with a total disregard to the same.
Maybe so but nah…
What would really be inspiring is people Paying Attention! To warnings, alerts, closure notices, cautions All Signage and conditions on the ground. That would be inspiring. Not some hallmark channel sentimental bs. But hey some of us are realists here. Who Pay Attention. Yep.
Even if one misses a sign, a flooded rd is hard to miss. You have to drive into it purposely & be prepared for the consequences.
Honestly, I imagine this lady, as stupid as she was, will need a Gofund to replace her car. I hope someone will step in to help her. After ALL, she still help people older then her.
Thanks Ben, I agree that it’s inspiring to see many people pull together to do the right thing in a difficult circumstance. No need to ask for religious or political affiliation or judge the tire size of the vehicle or if they should have been in situation where they found themselves. Just have the willingness and ability to do the job you were trained for or the capability to step in and do something unusual and miraculous. Great work everyone involved in the rescue.
Except for the VFD persons they are all on Overtime Pay with benefits and retirements. Rescuing a person who needed to PAY ATTENTION. Another Avoidable problem solved at Great Risk and Expense.
No wonder HumCo is in debt!!
Are you saying that we should let people who make mistakes die or just that everyone should foot their own bill for public services rendered. Also wondering how you know someone is on overtime in the middle of a weekday? If you think government workers have exorbitant pensions and benefits compared to private sector employees I’m here for that discussion but it doesn’t seem relevant to this situation. Anyone reading this is potentially putting others at risk every morning when they wake up. I usually don’t care enough to spend time posting comments to people who I don’t even know, but the callousness in this thread has struck a nerve with me. Let’s all get off of our high horses and think about how we can do something good for someone else… even if they don’t deserve it.
Thank you! And a senior woman trying to deliver food during a storm to hungry people might deserve a little compassion.
Also, it didn’t look like a super life risking rescue on the part of the rescuers. Not like an ocean situation or high surf, raging river, etc.
there is video of the rescue here:
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2025/dec/22/sheriffs-office-recaps-rescue-72-year-old-woman-ne/