FWC Law Enforcement Report

May 4, 2014

Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekend ending May 1:

On the evening of April 29, heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms pounded northwest Florida throughout the night and into the next day.  These heavy rainfalls led to the unexpected levels of flooding and flash flooding which devastated the four county area.  Officers worked night and day diligently responding to search and rescue events, calls for service and assisting the public.

Investigator Goley and Officer Tison responded to an EMS call where a vessel was needed.  After engine failure, the officers agreed to walk in and recon a safe route to gain access and

remove the patient.  Investigator Goley and Officer Tison waded to the residence using the approximate crown of the road as their bearing line.  Within several minutes, they arrived at the residence and found four people there.  The water was creating a significant concern for the patient, a 92‑year‑old woman who was bedridden with Hospice caretakers and family members present.  The water level was within three inches of compromising the patient in her bed.  The officers decided to return for their boat and EMS personnel, push the boat to the residence, and assist in transporting the patient to the ambulance.  They walked out and returned with the boat and EMS personnel, each holding onto the boat as they made their way back to the residence.  Officer Tison assisted EMS personnel with preparing the patient for transport while Investigator Goley secured the boat.  The patient, who was secured on a backboard, was placed on the bow of the boat and officers made their way back to the ambulance.  When they arrived, the patient was transferred to the ambulance for transport to the hospital.

Investigator Goley and Officers Cushing, Bartlett, Tison, and Pettey were working late on the evening the heavy rains began in Escambia County.  They responded to a request to assist Escambia County Fire Rescue in evacuating people from the area near Bristol Creek.  Investigator Goley and Officer Cushing coordinated their search efforts and launched a vessel to search the homes on Ashbury Lane.  With heavy rains, treacherous water, debris and submerged objects, they located two adults standing on the front porch of their home in chest high water.  After recovering these people and trying to navigate out, they located three more subjects.  After recovering these subjects, they returned to the command post and turned over the passengers to EMS personnel.

Officers Pettey and Tison completed a search in a flooded area and were returning to the command post, when they were redirected to assist Escambia County Fire Rescue in assisting an ambulance crew that ran into the swollen creek, stranding the ambulance crew and three patients.  The officers, in conjunction with Escambia County Fire Rescue, safely extracted the stranded subjects and brought them across the creek to the command post for medevac.

This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week;however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under General