Woman tubing on San Joaquin River needed help. Rescue crew didn’t have an exact location

A woman tubing down the San Joaquin River near Highway 41 had to be pulled to safety by the Fresno Fire Water Rescue Team on Wednesday afternoon, and a department official cautioned how recreational activities in fast-moving currents can be dangerous.

“We would caution you to be in the water right now,” Fresno Fire battalion chief Lupe Fernandez said. ”The water is dangerous. It’s inviting with the heat, but man, is it cold and moving fast. It is easy to get swept downstream and get yourself in a bad spot. ...

“If I don’t have to be out there, I wouldn’t be out there. And I did the rescue swimming for several years. It’s difficult. I don’t care how good of a swimmer you are. The water is cold, and it’s hard to deal with that.”

The woman was treated by American Ambulance personnel. Her status was not immediately available, but she was responsive and there were no challenges transferring her to care to EMS, Fernandez said.

When the call came in, fire personnel did not have an exact location on the victim. But fire and police personnel were able to make contact as the Water Rescue Team was launching from a mobile home park East of the 41.

“This is not uncommon to have someone in this particular area,” Fernandez said. “I believe it was earlier this year (that) we pulled somebody out in very close proximity to this.”

There were reports of a second person in the water, but it was determined that person was not in distress.

The San Joaquin River was reopened to recreational use on June 16.

The San Joaquin and Kings rivers were closed in Fresno County in March due to a historic snow pack in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

The Fresno County Department of Public Works and Planning closed several parks as well, including Avocado Lake Park, Choinumni Park, Lost Lake Park, Winton Park and Laton-Kingston Park.

This story was originally published July 5, 2023 at 8:55 PM.