Shelter Cove Fire Department  

Duty Officer Phone: (707) 986-7507

 

Recent Events:

Stranded Hikers and dogs rescued from No-Pass 1/29/12:

Photos from web sites below

Training 11/13/11:

 

Burn Pile Escapes to Wild lands/Suppressed by SCFD 10/18/11:

SCFD RECUES DOG FROM BLUFFS (December 2, 2010)

Another Successful rescue by the Volunteers of Shelter Cove's Fire Department.

The rescue crew was ready to repel over the bluff, but found a way to rescue from the bottom taking advantage of the low but rising tide.  This pooch would have been fish bait had he not been rescued.

STRUCTURE FIRE MARCH 19, 2010

At approximately 2 PM on Friday March 19, 2010 a residential structure fire was reported in Shelter Cove.  The fire was first noticed by Chris Christianson, a Senior Utility Worker for the Resort Improvement District.  Christianson and Utility Worker Frank Wilson were conducting water quality sampling at a hydrant on Toth Road when they smelled smoke nearby.  They thought it was probably a burn pile but it smelled like more than wood burning so they decided to investigate.  They discovered a two bedroom home on Vegara Court on fire.  A portion of the deck and west wall of the home were engulfed in flames and spreading fast.  Fortunately a garden hose was attached to the house and Christianson used it to suppress the fire and keep it from spreading.  Wilson, a utility worker who is also a Shelter Cove Firefighter, called Fortuna’s 911 dispatch on his radio and had them page the Shelter Cove Fire Department.  Within minutes additional utility workers arrived on scene to secure the house electrical service. Shelter Cove Duty Officer, Kyle Murchison along with firefighters Seth Ayers and Brandon Craig soon arrived with two fire engines.  Although the obvious flames were suppressed with the garden hose, closer inspection of the interior walls with a thermal imaging camera indicated fire remained inside the west wall.  Fire fighters breached the wall at the hot spot and extinguished the hidden fire, ending the incident.  The home was saved with limited damage to the deck and one corner of the structure.  Firefighters setup ventilation fans and removed smoke from the interior of the house, preventing significant smoke damage.

The Resort Improvement District utility crew and volunteer firefighters did a great job of team work on this incident.  The District and residents of Shelter Cove are very lucky to have such dedicated professionals looking out for us and we thank them. (Click on photos to enlarge)

Above photos (left to right)

1) Shelter Cove Firefighters (bottom L-R) Kyle Murchison, Frank Wilson, Brandon Craig, (top) Seth Ayers

2) Resort Improvement District #1 Senior Utility Operator, Chris Christianson

3) Resort Improvement District #1 Utility Crew (L-R) Utility operator/Firefighter Frank Wilson, Electrical Superintendent DJ Miclette, Local Electrician Ray Lodia, Senior Utility Operator Chris Christianson, Utility Worker Bud Lair and Public Works Director Mike Luce.

4) Exterior fire damage

5) Interior  damage

6 & 7) Fire suppression

OCEAN RECUE NOVEMBER 20, 2009

On November 20, 2009 a 22-year old woman, visiting from Las Vegas, was washed off the bluff near Abalone Point while taking photographs.  The strong current and turbulent conditions washed her out to sea as companions watched in shock from shore.  The surf was pounding the coastline, making a return swim to the beach hazardous if not impossible.  Friends of the victim called 911 and the Sherriff’s office sent resident deputy Robert Hamilton to investigate.  Another witness phoned the Shelter Cove Fire Department and reported the incident to Duty Officer Tim Olsen.  By this time, the woman had drifted more than 100 yards from shore.  Tim Olsen called for a Coast Guard helicopter and paged the Shelter Cove Fire Department for ocean rescue operations.  Less than 15 minutes after the fire department pagers sounded, Shelter Cove’s Ocean Rescue Team was suited up and ready to launch the 17-ft jet boat.  By then the victim had drifted out to sea nearly a quarter mile making it difficult for observers on shore to keep track of her in between large swells.  Ocean rescue team members Frank Wilson, Cassidy Etter and Seth Ayers manned the jet boat and traveled approximately two miles in record time through sloppy seas to the last known location of the victim.  The victim had struggled for more than 30-minutes in frigid water wearing jeans, a sweatshirt and leather boots. Rescuers had difficulty locating the victim due to choppy conditions and required assistance from spotters on shore. Captain Will Salter radioed course adjustments to the rescue boat that sent them farther out to sea until they spotted the swimmer and pulled her aboard.   The rescue boat returned without incident and the crew assisted the grateful passenger to the awaiting ambulance.  The Coast Guard Helicopter landed at Shelter Cove Airport a few minutes later and the victim was airlifted to St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka and treated for hypothermia.

 (Click on photos to enlarge then use back button to return, right click to copy)

 

 

www.sheltercove-ca.gov

9126 Shelter Cove Road Whitethorn, CA 95589 707-986-7507 fax: 707-986-7852 scfd@sheltercove-ca.gov