Woman rescued after getting swept into raging creek

First responders in the Okanagan are advising the public to stay clear of fast flowing creeks and rivers that have been swollen by the recent rain and ongoing snow melt.

West Kelowna Fire Rescue (WKFR) was dispatched to a swift water rescue in the 2700 block of Highway 97 where the highway crosses Powers Creek Saturday evening around 8:30 p.m..

“The patient was too close to the rain swollen river bank and subsequently was caught by the current and swept into the large culvert under the highway,” said Chad Gartrell, Assistant Fire Chief. “The patient was very fortunate to make it through the culvert without impediment and released on the opposite side of the highway.”

Gartrell says the woman, said to be a teenager, took the correct action by finding a rock mid channel to get up onto and wait for the technical rescue team to arrive to bring her to the shore.

“Crews made their way out onto the rock, placed a life jacket on the patient and set up downstream containment prior to extrication. Once to shore the tech team transferred the patient into a basket stretcher and used a rope rescue retrieval system to raise them up to the highway to the awaiting BC Ambulance crew who then treated and transported the patient with non-life-threatening injuries to KGH.”

Fire Rescue leaders remind the public of the High Streamflow Advisory that has been issued throughout the Okanagan by the River Forecast Centre.

Localized thunderstorms causing heavy downpours Friday night and sustained precipitation all day Saturday are causing rivers and creeks to rise rapidly.

The public is urged to stay clear of fast flowing rivers and creeks that may cause unstable riverbanks during peak flows.