The City of Riverside Fire Department, in collaboration with Riverside County Cal-Fire, swiftly responded to the Van Buren West Incident earlier today, marking the third water rescue incident since morning.
The incident involved two adults trapped below the Van Buren Bridge at the City of Riverside boundary.
In response, a unified command was established between Riverside County Cal-Fire and the City of Riverside Fire Department. The situation prompted an immediate need for a hard closure of the Van Buren Bridge.
A City of Riverside Water Rescue team member was deployed using Truck 2, demonstrating the teams’ proficiency in managing such challenging scenarios.
In the final update, three adults and two dogs were successfully rescued from an island in the Santa Ana River Bottom, with no reported injuries to civilians or fire department personnel.
The successful operation involved a total of 26 personnel, including five chief officers, and showcased the seamless coordination between multiple agencies.