Shortly after 11:15 am on Tuesday March 26, 2024, the Netarts-Oceanside RFPD was alerted by Tillamook 911 of an individual who had fallen at Short Beach in Oceanside and had hit their head. Upon responding, Chief Tim Carpenter called for assistance from Tillamook Fire District, due the lack of available responders and the difficulty of navigating the area next to the ocean. Upon arrival Chief Carpenter took command and directed his crews to make their way down the precarious path and along the shore to access the victim. Upon reaching the patient, which was over a mile away, the responders jumped into action to move the individual back away from the shoreline, due to their location and an incoming tide. Upon moving the person, the crew from Tillamook Ambulance arrived, took over patient care and started life saving measures to treat the patient. Members from Tillamook Fire arrived and it was decided that the patient would need to be flown out of the area due to the nature of injuries and the high tide and extremely dangerous terrain.
The Coast Guard was dispatched and able to make it to the scene a short time later. A rescue swimmer was lowered down and made contact with the fire and ambulance crews to formulate a plan. The victim was loaded into a rescue basket and was hoisted up, along with a Tillamook Fire paramedic, and the rescue swimmer. The helicopter then transported the injured person to a nearby waiting ambulance, and was then taken to Tillamook Adventist Hospital.
This was an extremely dangerous and difficult operation and all crew members performing their duties as expected, with no further injuries to all responders involved.
The Netarts-Oceanside RFPD wants to thank all the people involved in the scenario, including Tillamook 911, Tillamook Ambulance, Tillamook Fire District, the US Coast Guard and all of our NORFPD members on scene.