Battlion Chief

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

12/10/1996

Special Act Award (Gold)

CDF Battalion Chief Mike Harkness, on December 10, 1996, performed extraordinary acts of heroism at great personal risk to his safety and life. During winter storm flooding in San Luis Obispo County at Las Tables Creek, BC Harkness rescued a victim in the middle of the creek perched on a grouping of trees. At approximately 10:20 AM, the San Louis Obispo Emergency Command Center (ECC) received an emergency water rescue call from Mrs. Lu Rutters. She described her situation as extreme. She was trapped in her vehicle by the fast moving water of Las Tables Creek and heading downstream. The ECC was able to advise Mrs. Rutter how to kick out the rear window of her Ford Explorer, once the water pressure equalized. She managed to get out of her vehicle and cling onto trees in the creek and waited to be rescued. During this time, the water continued to rise in the creek and Mrs. Rutters perch in the trees was becoming tenuous. She was physically exhausted and soaking wet. Las Tables Creek was flowing bank to bank, the stream bed was approximately 100’ wide and Mrs. Rutters was 20 feet from the bank. The distance from her position to the bank had large boils of water and appeared to be very deep. The creek was continuing to rise and large amounts of tree debris was being carried downstream impacting the trees Mrs. Rutters was holding on to. The trees had the possibility of being undermined at any moment. During the time of assimilating the emergency crews for Mrs. Rutters rescue, she was becoming more anxious to leave the trees she was clinging to. Emergency Personnel were worried that Mrs. Rutters would attempt to leave the trees, so a throw bag was established downstream in the event she went into the creek. An anchor was placed on the bank and reluctantly it was decided to send Paid-Call Firefighter Christopher Kirk across to the trees, with life preservers for Mrs. Rutters, and establish a tether line for the water rescue team. BC Mike Harkness arrived and was briefed on the situation. Large amounts of debris was impacting the trees on which Mrs. Rutters and PCF Kirk were clinging. The force of the water and the pounding of the debris was making their position extremely dangerous. BC Harkness formulated his plan as the water rescue team was still 15 minutes away. BC Harkness, with the help of Fire Captain’s Marshall and Dowling and other PCF’s at the scene, began the timely rescue of Mrs. Rutters. BC Harkness entered the water and went to the trees by the established tether line. BC Harkness hooked Mrs. Rutters to the tether line and they both were swung into the creek and pulled out by support personnel. Mrs. Rutters was taken immediately into an ambulance for medical treatment. PCF Kirk was retrieved from the debris pile by the water rescue team, which had just arrived. It has to be noted that without the efforts of PCF Kirk and BC Harkness this situation would have ended in tragedy.