Fire Crews
Stay
Busy in Backcountry
San Bernardino County Fire Station #14
February 25,
2023
SBCF
Battalion Chief/PIO Mike McClintock
mmcclintock@sbcfire.org
A significant amount of snow in the Wrightwood area has complicated
travel near in the mountain communities. Friday, February 24th the San
Bernardino County Fire Department Station #14 Firefighters rescued multiple
parties trapped in their vehicles on treacherous or impassible roads.
Additional personnel staffed a Snow Cat at Fire Station #14
making sure they were ready for the increase in calls in and around Wrightwood.
The new Snow Cat was vital for rescue crews to safely access incidents, as well
as allow for safe evacuation in both incidents.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff Search & Rescue Team
requested Snow Cat (SC) 14 to assist with a search/rescue operation near
Jackson Lake. SC14 responded to help locate and evacuate three adults and a dog
after their vehicle became stuck in a ditch. In snowy, extreme cold
temperatures, rescuers and firefighters traveled multiple miles to the victims
and cut multiple trees with chainsaws along the route to the victims’
destination. Once arrived, the firefighter-paramedics warmed and assessed the
victims who were cold, but uninjured.
Thankfully, all parties, the victims, the crew, the LA County
Search and Rescue Team, along with the SBCF Snow Cat staff, arrived
back to the incident command post, safely.
San Bernardino
County Fire Station #14 firefighter-paramedic crews were requested to help locate and evacuate two adults who
became stuck on a remote road near Gobblers Knob, north of Lytle Creek and southeast
of Wrightwood. The snow was so thick crews had to plow multiple miles into get access
to the stranded victims. Also, both of those parties were non-injured and safely
rescued.
.jpg)
The new SB County Fire Station #14 Snow Cat has been vital for multiple rescues this Winter.
The 2021 Pisten
Bully is fitted with a plow, diesel engine and seats 8-10 people.
.jpg)
For
more information about driving in snowy conditions see CHPs website for useful
tips:
https://www.chp.ca.gov/programs-services/services-information/winter-driving-tips (https://www.chp.ca.gov/programs-services/services-information/winter-driving-tips)