NOTE: For more information and a video of the rescue, see our follow-up post here.

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UPDATE, 3:30 p.m.:

Press release from the Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department:

A coordinated multi-agency effort saved the life of a 72 year old woman today after her vehicle became trapped in rising floodwaters and began floating downriver near the intersection of Fulmor Road and Goble Lane in Ferndale.

The emergency call reported a harrowing scene: a vehicle swept into the current with the driver still inside. At the time of the initial report, water levels had already reached the woman’s chest, creating a race against time for local first responders.

The complexity of the scene required a massive mobilization of local and state resources. Because the vehicle was unstable and drifting, a diverse group of agencies converged on the riverbank to coordinate the extraction.

Ferndale Fire Department & Eel River Valley Technical Rescue Team (ERVTRT): Provided specialized water rescue personnel.
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office & CHP: Managed scene safety and logistics.

City Ambulance: Staged for immediate medical intervention.
Humboldt County Public Works: Assisted with regional access.
U.S. Coast Guard: Deployed a helicopter for aerial extraction.

Rescue swimmers from Ferndale Fire Department and ERVTRT entered the water to reach the semi submerged car and stabilize the victim.
In a display of community spirit and ingenuity, the Cahill Dairy provided critical assistance. The dairy’s operators utilized their heavy duty farm tractors to assist rescuers in navigating the difficult terrain and turbulent water, proving instrumental in the positioning of the rescue teams.

With the vehicle’s position precarious, the Coast Guard Helicopter arrived on the scene, and a rescue basket was deployed.
The 72 year old woman was successfully lifted from the water and into the aircraft. She was immediately flown to St. Joseph Hospital for treatment and evaluation. While her current condition has not been released, the swift actions of the “boots on the ground,” and those in the air, prevented a certain tragedy.

“This rescue highlights the incredible cooperation between our professional agencies and the local community,” said Chief Rick Nicholson of Ferndale Fire Department. “From the technical swimmers to the Cahill family’s tractors, everyone played a part in saving a life today.”

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UPDATE, 2:42 p.m.:

The woman has been rescued and taken via Coast Guard helicopter to St. Joseph Hospital, according to Ferndale Fire Public Information Officer Jif D’Aguanno.

He told the Outpost via phone a few minutes ago that the 72-year-old woman attempted to cross the flooded roadway, but the water was too deep. Her vehicle “started getting taken away by the tide” and then “floated away.”

Ferndale Fire personnel responded along with the Eel River Valley Technical Rescue Team, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, City Ambulance, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and the local Cahill family, who contributed two tractors to the rescue effort.  One of those tractors was able to effect a rescue from the vehicle, after which the woman was picked up via a Coast Guard rescue basket, hauled into the helicopter and transported to the hospital, D’Aguanno said. 

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UPDATE, 2 p.m.:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Special Services unit is on the scene conducting a rescue attempt of the trapped motorist, Lt. Jesse Taylor said via email. Taylor added that a Coast Guard helicopter is overhead, assisting with the ground units.

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Original post:

Emergency responders are attempting to locate and rescue a 72-year-old woman who was last seen inside a white SUV, submerged to her neck in a flooded field along the Eel River north of Ferndale, according to scanner traffic.

Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department Chief Rick Nicholson has requested help from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and a helicopter from the Coast Guard. His office is also using a swift rescue boat, according to local resident Caroline Titus.

“He’s done this many times,” Titus said.

The woman called for help at approximately 1:10 p.m., saying she was “floating downstream,” a dispatcher said. She was located off of Fulmor road, near its intersection with Goble Lane, according to scanner traffic.

This news is breaking. We will update when we have more information. The location below is approximate, based on scanner traffic.