10 people were rescued from Salinas River

At 8:45 am on Thursday, March 22, the Paso Robles Department of

Emergency Services responded to a report of a person in distress in the

Salinas River just North of the Niblick Bridge. Firefighters arrived at the scene within 4 minutes to discover a male victim and his dog clinging to a tree. Firefighters were able to throw the subject a personal flotation device until they could swim across the river to rescue him. The victim was assisted back to shore with the help of rescue swimmers. Simultaneously, multiple additional calls came in for people in distress in the river. CHP Helicopter 70 was utilized with 1 Paso Fire Rescuer and completed 6 hoist rescues. In addition, rescue swimmers entered the water and performed 4 rescues. Over the course of 4 hours, 10 river rescues were conducted. 2 patients were transported to a hospital for further evaluation and 1 canine is deceased. 3 fire engines, 1 heavy rescue, 2 Chief Officers along with the Police Department and Public Works Department from Paso Robles responded. Under the City’s automatic and mutual aid agreements, 4 fire engines, a heavy rescue and 2 Battalion Chiefs from CAL FIRE/SLO County, 1 fire engine and 1 heavy rescue from Atascadero City Fire, 1 fire engine from Templeton Fire, 1 fire engine from San Miguel Fire, 2 rescue team members from San Luis City Fire, 1 rescue team member from Cambria Fire, 1 North County Technical Rescue Team, 1 San Luis Obispo County Technical Rescue Team, 3 ambulances from San Luis Ambulance and 1 CHP helicopter immediately responded to assist. Additional resources from throughout the county are staged in Paso Robles should any further river rescues occur.