On May 14, 2019, at approximately 5:00 pm Wilmington Firefighters on the A platoon were dispatched to a water rescue in the area of Rosa Parks Drive for a female in the water.
Upon the arrival of Battalion Chief Richard Danner, the incident commander, witnesses stated a female had jumped into the Christina River, resurfaced briefly in visible distress, and then disappeared under water. Nearby rowers were alerted by Battalion Chief Danner and offered assistance.
Two members of Engine 1 boarded the coach’s boat and immediately began searching the last known area of the female. Crews located her just under the surface of the water and pulled her into the boat. The crew found her to be unconscious and not breathing. The crew immediately began CPR and transferred her to the dock.
Once on the dock, an aggressive resuscitation effort was continued with the remaining Engine 1 crew, ALS, and BLS. Due to this effort, the patient regained pulses and was transported to the Christiana Hospital by St. Francis EMS and New Castle County Paramedics.
Approximately 23 fire and EMS personnel responded to the fire. The following units responded: Engine 1, Skyboom 2, PA-2, PA-100, Medic 8, ALS Supervisor, Wilmington Police, and DNREC Police.
