Girl rescued from Kern, in critical condition

[Papasequoia]

A timely reminder with the lower flowing at 643cfs as I post this. There is also video on this website:

http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/57613037.html

Sheriff's helicopter rescues girl from Kern River

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. -- A Kern County Sheriff's helicopter was used to rescue a young Southern California girl from the Kern River over the weekend.

Rescue Helicopter Air-5 was dispatched Saturday to the river near the Chico Flat Campground after an 11-year-old girl from Van Nuys fell off her inner tube and became trapped under rocks.

That section of river is about one mile north of the Kern-Tulare counties line. It was not clear from a Kern County Sheriff's news release which county's sheriff's department led the rescue operation.

The girl's family said she was submerged under the water for several minutes and was not responsive when they pulled her out.

Deputies said the girl, whose name was withheld, was wearing a personal floatation device.

Authorities said the incident should serve as a strong reminder that swimming in the Kern River is dangerous. The rapids in that area are considered a Class 5.

The girl was taken by Hall Ambulance paramedics to Kern Medical Center where she was reported in critical condition Sunday afternoon.

[RiverRat]

Sad indeed. Chico Flats is located in the 20 mile Upper Section above Thunderbird where the river is only flowing at 150 cfs. That area has huge boulders and all kinds of places to get trapped. Why anybody would let there young kids go down those rapids is beyond comprehension. Thank goodness she had a life jacket or they wouldn't have got her out. Silly season is pretty much over for the river.


shane

[Rockstar Fisherman]

The Kern is definatley not a place for kids to play in, and I feel that anyone swimming in it from the canyon on up is just flat out crazy, well maybe with the exception of the stretch from Kernville to the lake. Still I don't get why parents promote their kids to swim in that river, common sense should say NO! Thankfully the girl was ok, and actually wearing a life vest.

[fflutterffly]

I don't understand. In the report it was said that she was underwater for many minutes, she was rescued and was in critical condition. Has anyone heard if she is 100%. I must speculate that there must be some permanent damage. Has anyone heard.

We are human beings, laboring under the belief that we are momentarily given immortality or at least untouchable. We believe that traveling 90 mph in a car, riding on inflated rubber tires will never blow out and send us tumbling to death. Thinking we are in complete control motorcycles are pushed to the limit on route 2 ignoring on coming traffic, uneven surfaces and even friends who have crashed. Why are you all so surprised that adults will coax their kids into the water, which is at 555 CFS, believing they are capable of cheating fate. First: They don't know what 553 even means. They have never survived a fatal car crash (obviously) and thirdly... it can never happen to us.

Now that you know... what will you do next time you see someone's child going into water that is raging below the surface at 553.

[castaway]

Just for clarification... this occured on the UPPER kern.

But to Arials point... the low flows could pasify us into a false sense of security.

I watched some tubbers on friday eyeballing a crazy run....


even at 140cfs the upper can be dangerous.

[fflutterffly]

Oh Craig... You are absolutely right! I didn't mean to insinuate that you should have done more. No. didn't mean that at all. When I re read it I can see how that sounded. Sorry.

[Papasequoia]

I should have made it clear that this was the upper river and shouldn't have assumed everyone knows where Chico Flats is. What I meant to convey, is that if this can happen on the upper flowing at ~150, those who venture to places like the lower Kern and the lower Owens both now flowing at over 500 need to be even more cautious. As for warning people in person, well, everyone has to make their own judgment call on those situations.

[dna]

Wow...definitely an eye-opener especially since she had a PFD on!