An early-morning emergency off the West Seattle shoreline left an 11-year-old girl in serious condition Friday after she was pulled from the water, according to officials. Crews located the child offshore near the 3400 block of Chelan Avenue SW and brought her aboard a rescue boat, where medics began life-saving care. She was transported to Fire Station 5 and later taken to a hospital, where authorities say she remains in serious condition.
According to KING 5, Seattle Fire crews responded to reports of a person in distress in the water and deployed marine units, including Rescue Boat 5, which located and recovered the child. Paramedics continued care at Fire Station 5 before transferring her to a hospital for further treatment. The department described the child's condition as serious, and investigators were on scene.
Rescue response and marine resources
Rescue Boat 5 is one of Seattle Fire's small rescue vessels kept at Fire Station 5 on the downtown waterfront and is routinely used for water rescues and shoreline incidents, according to Seattle Fire Department materials. Those marine capabilities allow crews to reach victims offshore more quickly than relying only on land units. Boat crews typically pull victims aboard, stabilize them, and hand them off to waiting medics at nearby docks or stations.
Water safety reminders
Cold water, strong currents and low visibility can overwhelm swimmers quickly, and even nonfatal submersion can lead to lasting health effects, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns. The American Red Cross and other safety groups recommend constant, focused supervision around the water, properly fitted life jackets when on or near deep water, and training in CPR and basic water-rescue skills to help reduce the risk of drownings and near-drownings.
Officials have not released the girl's name or the full circumstances that led to the water emergency; KING 5 reported investigators were on scene. More details were not available at the time of reporting.
