A Day of Rain, Floods and Helicopter Rescues

The San Bernardino, California valley is hit by an unusually heavy rain storm, causing flooding and debris strewn roads in Highland and San Bernardino.

To make matters worse, a group of teens decides to go for a hike into the foothills about the same time. They get hypothermia and one a possible leg injury. One walks out and three are airlifted.

I began covering this story in Highland, where we see Firefighters from (then)CDF/County Station 6 working in thigh high water and then moved to areas in San Bernardino. Switched from the flooding to the rescue story. Shot the first airlift from across the canyon, note in the video how the first girl slips while getting into the helicopter, falls, and is caught by the firefighter and aviation deputy.

I moved to the staging area, where one hiker walks out, and not wanting to have to shoot the next airlift, from across the canyon again, I hurriedly hiked/climbed up into the hills and positioned myself above the area where the last hiker was and as it was a hoist from the larger helicopter I thought it might look better from that angle. Its not often you get the chance to shoot a rescue helicopter from above in this situation.

Quoting the County Flood Control: "An unexpected and unusual storm event struck in the early morning hours of October 7, 1997, causing flash flooding through portions of the cities of San Bernardino, Highland. The major cause of the flooding that occurred was due to the vast amounts of floatable (organic) debris and mud that was produced because of the Hemlock fire which had occurred earlier in July"

Note: I covered the Hemlock Fire and will post my video of that incident here in the next few days.

From the archives - October 7, 1997

News Photography by Larry R. Erickson - Copyright 1997

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Helicopter
• rescues
• flooding
• san
• bernardino
• photojournalism
• tv
• spot
• news
• inland
• empire
• history
• larry
• r.
• erickson

[FireLineUP]

Excellent footage Larry. I met you years ago on a Major Rager near Lake Elsinore-El Cariso on Hwy 74 years ago.Larry, you always had a great rep amongst us Firefighters and always had some of the worlds greatest footage.Hope you never get mad at us for yelling,we even yell at ourselves. Salute bro!

[LarryRErickson]

Thank you very much! Salute!

[motokid032]

Damn, that is one helluva one skid with that 500..I would have shit mahself.

[RustyRazor2010]

0:49 - Hmmm...watchya up to boys?

[delphiace]

Hey Larry. great videos. Looks like it was only you and I that were out there filming!

[manolicopter]

bien muy bien saludos

[aligerous]

The one skid with the 500 looked scary when the rescuee fell near the skid. Nice footage.

[RailMon]

Yes, I agree FirelineUP.

I used to be a British firefighter some years ago.

We have had similar floods in the North of England recently. A poiliceman was killed whilst trying to stop motorists using a damaged bridge over a swollen river. The Bridge collapsed under him and he was swept away. Helicopters played a major part in many rescues at the time and it hasn't stopped raining since.

Hugh..

[stuntedcards]

who the hell decides lets go for a hike in the middle of a rainstorm?

[teb4ever7]

great footage i from san bernardino and dont even remember