A woman was lifted to safety from her overturned truck in the middle of Del Valle Creek in Livermore by a California Highway Patrol helicopter Tuesday morning after being stranded for nearly 15 hours. Emergency crews, including CHP, Alameda County Fire, Pleasanton-Livermore Fire, East Bay Regional Parks, and other supporting agencies, coordinated a dramatic rescue after the victim's vehicle was swept away Monday night by the creek's swift waters. Despite having spent a harrowing night perched on the underside of her truck, the victim, when discovered by a camper, managed to maintain her composure throughout the ordeal.
According to an NBC Bay Area report, it was not until the next morning that Bob Sitzwohl, a camper who was in the area, heard the woman's cries for help and alerted authorities. Responding to his discovery just after 9:30 a.m., "So I just started running and I saw her," Sitzwohl said. The camper sought help from a nearby camp attendant who promptly called 911, kickstarting the swift water rescue operation.
Once on the scene, Alameda County Fire, together with a coalition of first responders, staged for the rescue as the CHP helicopter H-30 arrived and promptly deployed a Helicopter Rescue Technician (HRT) from the San Ramon Valley Fire Department. The technician, with practiced precision, managed to secure the victim in a rescue harness. Both were lifted from the precarious position to the safety of dry land within minutes, according to a CHP - Golden Gate Division Air Operations video.
After the successful extraction, the woman, exhibiting signs of hypothermia yet in a stable condition, was transported to a local hospital for recovery. "We could tell, just by visual, that she was discolored," Alameda County Fire Battalion Fire Chief Kent Carlin informed NBC Bay Area. "She was cold — showing signs of hypothermia, but she was making logical sense, which was a good sign to us." An Alameda County Fire Department post later confirmed that despite her ordeal and the chilly conditions, the woman remained in good condition.
Reflecting on the incident, CHP pilot Lannis Pope spoke on the risks of underestimating the power of nature, especially during inclement weather, "I don’t know how she did it in the dark and the cold and the wet," he shared his admiration for the woman's resilience with NBC Bay Area. "But she was able to do that, and she was very happy to see our San Ramon Valley Fire Technician." Concluding with a stern warning, Pope reinforced the lesson learnt from this event, "It’s just not a smart idea," he advised. "Either don’t cross or try a different way."
