An injured rafter required extrication from the South Fork of the American River Saturday afternoon. The rescue was performed by the El Dorado County Sheriffs Department River Patrol that happen to bd nearby, with the assistance of personnel from CalFire.
The rafter, who’s name has been withheld, was traveling the river with a commercial rafting company. As the group was navigating the challenging waters of the area upstream from Salmon Falls, the rafter suffered a broken arm during the maneuvers.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office (EDSO) river patrol unit that was in service in the areas was alerted of the incident and notified of the injury around 3 p.m., according to information provided by the department.
According to the report, Deputies Aaron Campora and Julian Sandoval located the injured rafter just downstream from Satan’s Cesspool and were able to access the victim. The deputies transported the victim to the Salmon Falls Bridge, where Cal Fire personnel was staged to assist in the rescue. The rafter was reportedly wearing all proper safety gear, including a personal flotation device.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office wishes to remind everyone that while they enjoy the rivers, lakes, and waterways in El Dorado County and elsewhere, please be safe and use all safety equipment. Fun Fact: Failing to wear a Personal Floatation Device (PFD) while rafting is a violation under Title 14 of the California Regulations Code.
Photo: EDSO