A coordinated response involving multiple South King County public safety agencies resulted in the successful rescue of an adult male who became stranded on a rock in the Green River in Auburn on Wednesday night, Aug. 5.

Officials said that at approximately 10:47 p.m. on Aug. 5, 911 dispatchers received a report of a missing person after members of a tubing group realized one member had become separated while floating the Green River near Whitney Bridge in unincorporated King County (map below).

When crews arrived, they gathered information from the reporting party to determine where the individual was last seen and develop a search plan. Information from the King County Sheriff’s Office, including cell phone location data, was used to help narrow the search area.

A coordinated search was then initiated using specialized water rescue resources from multiple agencies. Rescue kayaks were launched both upstream and downstream from the subject’s last known location to maximize coverage of the river corridor. At the same time, the King County Sheriff’s Office deployed a drone equipped with forward-looking infrared (FLIR) technology to search from the air and assist rescuers operating on the water.

The search required firefighters to operate in moving water in complete darkness, navigating the river by kayak while coordinating with aerial resources overhead. The combination of ground, water, and aerial search efforts allowed crews to systematically search the area while maintaining responder safety.

At approximately 1:20 a.m., after nearly two and a half hours of searching, crews located the adult male stranded on a rock in the river. He was safely rescued and brought to the Whitney Bridge boat launch, where he was evaluated by King County Medic One and released at the scene.

Agencies assisting with the response included Mountain View Fire & Rescue, King County Sheriff’s Office, King County Medic One, Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority, South King Fire, Valley Regional Fire Authority, Renton Regional Fire Authority, Enumclaw Fire Department, and Skyway Fire.

This incident highlights the value of regional cooperation during complex emergencies. No single agency maintains all of the specialized resources needed for every incident, but by working together, neighboring departments can quickly assemble personnel, equipment, and expertise to safely resolve challenging situations such as a nighttime water rescue.

Water Safety Reminder

Anyone enjoying rivers or other waterways should always wear a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. If you become separated from your group or find yourself stranded, remain where you are if it is safe to do so. Staying in one location significantly improves rescuers’ ability to locate you quickly and safely.