UPDATE Crews rescue man from creek

Sep 23, 2020 | 3:11 PM

UPDATE 5:30 p.m.

Multiple emergency agencies teamed up to rescue a person in a creek in Vernon’s downtown area.

At 2:40 p.m. on Wednesday, Vernon Fire Rescue was asked to assist RCMP with a low level water rescue on Lower BX Creek. A report was made that an individual may have entered a culvert in the 3400-block of 35th Avenue near the Winter Carnival office and did not come back out.

Firefighters worked with members of the RCMP, City of Vernon Utilities, Bylaw Compliance and BC Ambulance Service to close the area to traffic and survey the creek and storm sewer system underground.

“City Utilities staff assisted the search by using a camera that helped emergency responders find an individual below ground, who was safely led back out of the culvert and out of the creek. The individual was assessed on scene by BC Ambulance Service. The RCMP are investigating the circumstances,” said Christy Poirier, city communications manager.

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“VFRS would like to thank all of the agencies and departments who assisted with today’s rescue event and their continued efforts to help keep our community safe,” added Poirier.

UPDATE 5 p.m.

A cooperative effort by multiple emergency response agencies has led to the successful rescue of an individual near downtown Vernon.

At approximately 2:40 p.m., Vernon Fire Rescue (VFRS) was asked to assist RCMP with a low level water rescue on Lower BX Creek. A report was made that an individual may have entered a culvert in the 3400-block of 35th Avenue and did not come back out.

Firefighters worked with members of the RCMP, City of Vernon Utilities, Bylaw Compliance and BC Ambulance Service to close the area to traffic and survey the creek and storm sewer system underground.

City Utilities staff assisted the search by using a camera that helped emergency responders find an individual below ground, who was safely led back out of the culvert and out of the creek. The individual was assessed on scene by BC Ambulance Service. The RCMP are investigating the circumstances.

VFRS would like to thank all of the agencies and departments who assisted with today’s rescue event and their continued efforts to help keep our community safe.

UPDATE 4 p.m.

Emergency crews have been on the scene of a swift water rescue after a person may have got caught in BX Creek in a culvert near the Winter Carnival office on 35th Avenue.

Deputy fire chief Dwight Seymour said they have checked the culvert underneath the roadway and a storm pipe to the east, and have not found anyone.

“So far we haven’t found an individual. It’s not confirmed that the individual is still underneath or in the water. They may have left the area. So we’re working with the RCMP and public works to determine — we’re getting a camera down to see if they went up further east up from the storm drains from this area,” Seymour told Vernon Matters.

Seymour said the incident began around 2:30 p.m. when a member of the public reported they thought they saw someone in BX Creek.

3 p.m. story

Emergency crews are on the scene of what is being described as a water rescue in BX Creek near the Winter Carnival office in Vernon.