Dramatic rescue on Green River an elaborate drill

KENT, Wash. — A dramatic rescue of three people in a vehicle that had plunged into the Green River turned out to be a realistic drill by firefighters and police.

Scanner traffic shortly before 10 a.m. Wednesday indicated that a car had plunged into the river in Kent and one person was trapped on the vehicle's roof under the Meeker Street Bridge.

When Chopper 7 arrived, a rescue crew was hauling a person up the river bank on a stretcher.  Radio transmissions said two people had been rescued and a third was missing.

Chopper video showed a full rescue response in progress.  At least nine police and fire vehicles, including a water rescue unit with a boat attached were in the parking lot.

Two boats were in the water and a ladder was positioned on the steep river bank for access.

The training day was scheduled several weeks ago. But with it falling in the middle of the warmest stretch of weather so far this year, organizers said it's a perfect reminder how dangerous the water is and a perfect opportunity to see what it takes to save people from the water.

Captain Kyle Ohashi from the Kent Fire Department said there's the possibility that this spring and early summer could be more dangerous than recent years because of all the rain and snow pack that is starting to melt off.

Ohashi said rivers are running high, fast and cold.  The Green River's temperature is in the mid to upper 40s.

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