Firefighters rescued two victims from swift waters in Santa Ana

Firefighters responded to two separate swift water rescues on Friday- both in Santa Ana, according to the OCFA.

The first incident involved an adult male that was in a flood control channel under a road in the area of Sunflower and Fairview. With the torrential downpour this morning, the water quickly rose and trapped him. He yelled for help, and fortunately a passerby heard his cries and called 911. A swift water rescue response was sent which included one of the two added swift water rescue teams added for the storm. Thanks to experience and countless hours of training, firefighters were able to rescue him utilizing a raft. Assistance was provided by the Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue, Costa Mesa Police Department, and Fountain Valley Fire Department.

The second call came in at 1:00 p.m. where an adult male found himself on a small island in the Santa Ana Riverbed surrounded by rushing water. This prompted a swift water rescue response including the OCFA’s Helicopter 1 to the 1600 block of Memory Lane. A rescuer was lowered from the helicopter and a rescue was safely made. Assistance was provided by Orange City Fire and Santa Ana Police Department.

As we’re expecting another round of rain, the OCFA is encouraging everyone to stay clear of bodies of water; this includes driving. It doesn’t take a lot of water to sweep a person away or move a vehicle.