SAN FRANCISCO—On October 21, at 1:30 a.m. the San Francisco Fire Department safely conducted a “surf and cliff rescue” after an individual got trapped in a boat in the Pacific Ocean near Battery Crosby near the Presidio. Lt. John Baxter of the San Francisco’s Fire Department’s Community Affairs and Media Relations Department, recorded a video that was a little over a minute long. In the video, a man in a large red canoe is seen paddling close to the sea cliffs.
Officials received a call from 911 from the individual rescuing assistance. There was a misunderstanding as to the number of people in trouble. According to Lt. Baxter, the SFPD thought they had to rescue five people – one person trapped in the canoe and four people missing. There was only one person trapped inside the canoe.
First responders used technology known as Flare Technology during the rescue mission. According to FireRescue1’s website, which is a website that provides firefighters with information and resources that they need to perform well at their jobs, Power Flares were invented by a police officer. The flares look a lot like a hockey puck, and they are used by police, firefighters, EMTs, and all rescue respond teams. According to the website, Power Flares use LED lights to provide “10-mile 360-degree visibility.”
Once first responders were able to get to the individual to a boat they had in the water a short distance away and he was evaluated by paramedics, after 5 a.m.
It is not known why the person was in the water near Battery Crosby, a part of the Batteries to Bluffs Trail, which is a part of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
