Water Rescue in San Luis Rey River

Thursday Just after 10 pm calls were received from witnesses that a young girl was in the waters of the San Luis Rey River near Pala Road and Douglas Drive. OPD arrived on scene within minutes and located the patient. The patient was in an area that was impossible to reach without additional resources. A floatation device was dropped to the young girl. While the Oceanside swift water rescue team responded, OPD maintained contact with the patient to calm her.
Thankfully the swift water rescue team was able to safely pull the patient from the water. The girl was then transported to the hospital for evaluation.
We have had so much rain recently that we advise the public to exercise extra caution near moving water. Storm water runoff can linger long after the rain has passed. We’re grateful for the witnesses who did the right thing by promptly calling 9-1-1 and not attempting to perform a spontaneous rescue, which could have led to additional injuries or the loss of lives. Oceanside has teams that are well prepared and ready to respond in the event of these scenarios. Even when rain ceases, storm drains and flood control channels remain dangerous, and we ask parents to make sure all household members are aware of the danger.
Fantastic teamwork demonstrated from the witnesses who called in the concern, to the dispatchers quickly getting resources sent to the scene, our officers first to arrive and locate the patient, and our partners in public safety at OFD who brought this dangerous scenario to a safe conclusion.
Thank you to all involved who helped save a life this evening.