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Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Press Release: 14
Year Old Boy Drowns in Rancho Murrieta
Date/Time of Occurrence: June 13, 2002 , 3:44 P.M
Nature of Occurrence: Rescue
Location: Granlees Dam Rancho Murrieta
Contact: Captain Patrick J Ellis, Phone: 916-616-2431
Email: ellis.pat@smfd.ca.gov
Just before 4:00PM today a 911 call was placed from a cellular phone
indicating a 14-year-old male was trapped in the water system in Rancho Murrieta.
Metro Engine and Medic 59 responded to the waterways on the north end of
Rancho Murrieta.
While rescuers were responding it was identified that the victim was
located at the Granlees Water distribution structure on the Cosumnes
River. The structure is used for diverting water to a pumping station for
the Rancho Murrieta community. When Engine 59 arrived they surveyed the
situation. The boy was trapped several feet under the surface and was
forced up against the floodgate from the pressure of the river. The
D.A.R.T team was dispatched for recovery assistance. The boy had been in
the water for several minutes and in order to remove him from the
floodgate area, the water had to be stopped in the dam area.
Rescuers worked with officials from Rancho Murrieta to shut off the
water. The floodgate was then opened allowing firefighters to remove the
deceased boy. It was reported to Sheriffs that the boy and a group of
friends spent the afternoon swimming in the river. While on the way home
one of the boy's friends dropped swimming goggles in the dam area. The boy
went in the water after the goggles and was sucked down several feet.
Family members were on scene and law enforcement Chaplains were on hand
to assist. This is one of many preventable incidents that occur on the
waterways in Sacramento County. Water often looks calm on the surface, but
under the surface is in many cases very dangerous. None of the teenagers
had life jackets with them or on at the time of the incident. Most
drownings are preventable by wearing a life jacket and swimming in
supervised safe locations.
Alarm Assignment
2 Engines
1 Medic Unit
D.A.R.T
BC9
PIO Ellis
Incident Commander: Battalion Chief Ken Poole BC9
First-In Company: E59
Cause: Drowning
Public Information Officer: Captain Patrick J Ellis
Incident Duration: 2 Hours
Total No. of Engine Companies: 2
Total No. of Command and Support Staff: 2
Total No. of Fire Companies: 4
Total No. of Medic Units: 1
Total No. of Firefighters: 10
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