Nationwide, ABC affiliated stations showcased the Golder Ranch Fire Department in the hit-series, Hearts of Heroes on Saturday, July 1, 2023 for their heroic efforts of rescuing a family from a flash flood that occurred in July 2021.
This is a recount of the events that occurred on that day.
The morning of Friday, July 23, 2021, a family, a father with his two children, ventured out to do some jeep four-wheeling in washes at Rail X in Catalina, Arizona. The sandy wash they had passed by showed no presence of water and was entirely dry. As they began their trek home, swift-moving water had begun flowing through the washes.
The driver, with his young daughters, continued driving, finally making the decision to try to cross the flowing wash. Suddenly, the vehicle was swept into the rushing current.
Surrounded by water, the father climbed onto the roof of his Jeep to make a 9-1-1 call.
The call arrived at a dispatch center and was then sent out to the Golder Ranch Fire Department and their Special Operations Team. Golder Ranch Fire Department’s Special Operations Team currently has 30 personnel who have received advanced training, these individuals are trained to enter and navigate the water during a rescue.
Upon arrival, Golder Ranch Fire Department found the vehicle approximately 75 to 100-feet downstream from the point of crossing. With upstream spotters in position monitoring for debris, five members of the Golder Ranch Fire Department's Special Operations Team formed a “wedge” or v-shape, with the largest man in the front muscling against the flash flood. Each rescuer in the wedge stepped together, further and further out into the swift-moving water. Once they reached the vehicle, rescuers began moving one person at a time into the center of the wedge and returning them safely to shore.
Venturing into the water to make this heroic rescue from Golder Ranch Fire Station 377 were Captain Rene Sanchez, Engineer Matt Gordon, Paramedic Mike Crain, Paramedic Ryan Szach and Paramedic Sam Garcia. Also assisting that day, were Firefighters Jacob Lopez and Ryan Schobel, who served as downstream spotters, equipped with rescue throw bags containing rope during this effort.
The show, Hearts of Heroes, is a weekly, original series showcasing first responders and other courageous heroes in the aftermath of both manmade and natural disasters.
The show’s host, Ginger Zee is Chief Meteorologist for Good Morning America and ABC News. Sheldon Yellen, CEO of BELFOR Property Restoration, is the show’s know-all for topics on safety, disaster protection and recovery.
“Disasters large and small are inevitable. Thanks to our heroic first responders, many lives are saved. I am proud to be a part of honoring these heroes across our country and to help keep our friends and neighbors safe,” Sheldon Yellen said in a press release about the show “Hearts of Heroes”.
Recently, I sat down to speak with Golder Ranch Fire Battalion Chief Adam Jarrold to learn more information.
Golder Ranch Fire Department has other options for swift-water rescues that can be implemented depending on scene conditions. Various strategic methods include the implementation of a ladder truck for extraction or throwing life jackets/ropes to victims. Additionally, available to Golder Ranch Fire Department are rowboats or helicopters (weather-depending). However, according to Battalion Chief Jarrold, it was determined that the best way to rescue this family was for Golder Ranch Fire Department's Special Operations Team to get into the raging water.
When Battalion Chief Jarrold arrived at the scene, he personally deployed one of Golder Ranch Fire Department’s newly purchased drones.
“In this spot where the Incident Commander was standing, he was not actually able to see everything that was going on, so it was very nice for him to actually have actual eyes on [the victims] because [he was] probably 200-yards from the pavement where that wash crosses,” Battalion Chief Jarrold explained.
Battalion Chief Jarrold feels the use of drones will be a great asset to the Golder Ranch Fire Department in the future. “Already, we have used it for house fires in being able to locate hot spots, we can absolutely use it on a trail rescue searching and looking for people,” he said.
This year, so far, Golder Ranch Fire Department has responded to zero swift water calls. In 2022, they responded to a total of two verified swift water calls and in the last five-years, they have responded to a total of 10 verified swift water calls.
To keep safe, it is important to not enter moving water because you don’t truly know how deep it is or what’s going on underneath the surface. “As well, always be aware of the weather and where you are,” said Battalion Chief Jarrold.
He elaborated more, explaining, “Generally, what we tell folks is that within 30 minutes to an hour, all that water will be gone, and that wash will be dry for you to safely cross it. People [may not] want to wait, but it’s better than putting your life in danger rather than getting into the water because it can take less than a foot of water to turn a vehicle over upside down—they are not designed to float like a boat.”
In case you didn’t know, Golder Ranch Fire Department is an all-hazard fire district, meaning they will respond to house fires, building fires, brush fires, emergency medical calls, as well public assistance calls—helping people change batteries in smoke alarms and will even assist to remove snakes out of resident’s yards.
In 2021, Golder Ranch Fire Department Received 7,024 service calls and a total of 6,610 service calls in 2022.
“We’re very community first,” said Battalion Chief Jarrold. “So, if someone has an issue and they’re not sure who to call—give us a call and we will come and assist.”
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