Kristy Tallman
The wintry weather and its effects continue to take its toll on Sweet Home. On Monday, Jan. 15, Sweet Home Fire Department (SHFD) received a water rescue call but at the time most of the crews were out.
When the call came in, Fire Chief Nick Tyler was down to the minimum with most of his crew already out on calls. The call was received at 3:47 p.m. of a vehicle in the water on North River Drive and Foster Dam Road.
“We had crews on a fire threatening a home that was started by a power line. Another crew was out on a cardiac arrest with a Lebanon ambulance responding to that call as well and another SHFD ambulance was at the hospital. So I responded to the call,” Tyler said.
Upon arrival Tyler found the Toyota Tacoma in a pond area near Foster Lake.
“The Tacoma was on its side with the driver standing inside the truck, sticking out of the driver’s side window,” he explained. “She was not hurt, just needed help getting out of her vehicle and help getting up out of the ditch.”
Tyler assisted the driver out of the vehicle then helped get her vehicle out of the ditch.
“She wasn’t hurt, just cold and wet.”
According to Tyler the winter storm has had the SHFD jumping. On Saturday when the storm began SHFD responded to 18 calls, 29 calls on Sunday and at time of press they already had 16 calls for Monday.
“The calls were split fairly evenly,” Tyler said. “We’ve been very busy. We respond to every line down or pole issue to ensure there are no life safety or fire issues. We upstaffed all weekend to ensure we had coverage.”
Tyler said the department responded to 31 fire calls and 32 EMS calls.