Medal of Valor

ROB WYATT (second from right) and

JARAMIE DUKE (far right) receive Medal of Valor

A series of heavy winter storms battered Southern California during the first week of January, 2008.  The weather January 5th was no exception.  Most of the District's firefighters had already had a very busy night responding to numerous weather related emergencies.  Shortly after midnight the call came in....a possible swift water rescue in the Cucamonga Wash near Chino-Corona Road.  At least one victim was believed to have been swept from a vehicle and possibly still in the wash.

Weather conditions were at their worst.  Near zero visibility in pounding, wind-driven rains...temperatures in the 40's with water temperatures even colder, and the unimproved wash was in an extreme flood state.

Rescue conditions were even more perilous.  The Cucamonga Wash at Chino- Corona Road is in a natural state, with trees, brush, and reeds creating extreme hazards for both victims and rescuers alike.  The pitch black night, raging flood waters, and natural state of the wash would make even finding victims a difficult task. 

After an exhaustive hour-long search by Fire and Police personnel, a victim was located in the middle of the channel, literally hanging on to a tree for dear life.  At this location the swiftly moving flood waters were more than three hundred feet across.  Rescue crews set up operations from both the east and west banks of the wash and a shallow-water crossing rescue was attempted from the east bank  This effort was unsuccessful due to the numerous deep ravines hidden by the flood waters and extreme current. 

The next rescue attempt was made from the west bank.  It consisted of launching a small inflatable boat into the churning current, upstream from the victim.  The boat rescuers would then maneuver downstream, in waters constantly threatening to capsize them, through trees, fencing, and other debris, to the victim's location. 

In spite of the hazards and at great personal risk to themselves, Firefighter/Paramedic Rob Wyatt and Firefighter/Paramedic Jaramie Duke braved the treacherous conditions and successfully navigated to the victim's location.  By then, the victim was very hypothermic and rapidly losing the strength needed to hold onto the tree he was perched in.

Still battling the flood currents, hazards, and debris, FF/PM's Wyatt and Duke were able to get the victim from the tree and into the rescue boat.  With the assistance of CVFD personnel on the west bank, the boat was brought to shore and the victim to safety.

While the flood waters tragically claimed the life of one victim that night, there is no doubt that the courage and professionalism of FF/PM's Wyatt and Duke saved another.

In the finest tradition of the Fire Service and the Chino Valley Fire District Wyatt and Duke put themselves at great peronal risk to make a dramatic rescue of a a vcitim that would have otherwise perished. 

Firefighter/Paramedic Rob Wyatt and Firefighter/Paramedic were presented the distinguished Chino Valley Fire District's Medal of Valor on March 12, 2008.