Unknown Homeless Hero Saves Swimmer in Dramatic River Rescue
Eugene, OR – On Thursday evening, July 3rd, just before 6:30 PM, Eugene Springfield Fire (ESF) responded to a critical water rescue on the Willamette River downstream from the Knickerbocker Bridge. A swimmer in distress had lost their floatie and was struggling to stay afloat, prompting an urgent call to firefighters.
Upon arrival, Boat 5 crew discovered an unhoused individual heroically performing CPR on the victim on a shallow gravel bar in the river’s center. Firefighters took over the resuscitation efforts on the boat, transporting the swimmer to the launch where Medic 1 awaited. The individual, submerged for approximately 10 minutes, was rushed to Riverbend Hospital in critical condition.
Battalion 1 later returned to Alton Baker Park to find and honor the courageous unhoused person who risked their life to save the swimmer, but they were unable to locate them. ESF urges anyone with information about this selfless individual to contact them so their bravery can be recognized.
ESF notes that water rescues on the McKenzie and Willamette rivers are common, often involving unsafe flotation devices like inexpensive tubes or rafts not designed for swift waters. They remind the public that using such equipment without life vests endangers lives and strains fire resources, especially during peak fire risk hours.
Information from ESF
Upon arrival, Boat 5 crew discovered an unhoused individual heroically performing CPR on the victim on a shallow gravel bar in the river’s center. Firefighters took over the resuscitation efforts on the boat, transporting the swimmer to the launch where Medic 1 awaited. The individual, submerged for approximately 10 minutes, was rushed to Riverbend Hospital in critical condition.
Battalion 1 later returned to Alton Baker Park to find and honor the courageous unhoused person who risked their life to save the swimmer, but they were unable to locate them. ESF urges anyone with information about this selfless individual to contact them so their bravery can be recognized.
ESF notes that water rescues on the McKenzie and Willamette rivers are common, often involving unsafe flotation devices like inexpensive tubes or rafts not designed for swift waters. They remind the public that using such equipment without life vests endangers lives and strains fire resources, especially during peak fire risk hours.
Information from ESF
Michael Weber, known for his extensive coverage of crime news in Lane County, continues to provide valuable updates to the local community. He runs the largest crime watch group in Lane County, Lane County Mugshots Uncensored, which currently has over 87,600 members. Support for local journalism is essential, and donations can be made via Venmo to @Michael-Weber-379 (last four digits of phone number: 0825).
You can also follow me on X: https://x.com/MugshotMike541
You can also find me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mugshotmike541.bsky.social
I have a reddit feed at: https://www.reddit.com/r/LaneCountyMugshots/
Comments
Post a Comment