Officer

California Highway Patrol

2/24/1960

Special Act Award (Gold)

On February 24, 1960, while en route to Quincy from Susanville, Officer Robert L. Oltman received a radio communication dispatching him to the east shore of Lake Almanor where it was reported victims of an overturned boat were in danger of drowning. On arriving at the Lake Officer Oltman observed three men clinging to a capsized boat approximately 300 yards offshore. Officer Oltman located an eight foot flat bottomed skiff and launched it. The skiff was not equipped with oar locks and the hull leaked. Disregarding this, Officer Oltman knelt in the bottom of the boat and using a single oar, proceeded to the stranded victims. As he approached the capsized boat, one victim slipped under the surface of the water and disappeared. On reaching the boat, Officer Oltman found it necessary to force them to release their holds on the capsized boat and cling to the side of the rescuing skiff, which was filling with water . After securing the two victims to the skiff, Officer Oltman proceeded to paddle towards shore when an airplane dispatched by the Rogers Air Service of Chester circled and dropped two life jackets in the vicinity of the endangered persons. Officer Oltman maneuvered his skiff to the jackets and with considerable difficulty, and danger to himself, forced the unwilling victims into the life jackets. During this time, several attempts were made by the victims to climb into the skiff, which obviously would have capsized. During the process of rescue it was necessary for this officer to alternately encourage and antagonize the victims to prevent their giving up and releasing their hold on the skiff. Due to the difficultly experienced by the officer in controlling the victims, and also due to the condition of the skiff, the rescuing officer, exhausted in his attempt to paddle the rescuing craft to shore, called for assistance from Traffic officer Denman Bryam who arrived at the scene. Officer Bryam, with the assistance of other officer, secured a larger skiff at which time Officer Bryam and an unidentified helper paddled to the victims and loaded them into the larger boat. On reaching the shore Officer Oltman and the victims were carried to an awaiting ambulance and transported to the Feather River District Hospital for treatment. At the time of this incident Officer Oltman and the victims were exposed extremely cold water ranging in temperature to approximately 35 degrees.