L.A. Fire Dept. warns of river danger even after rain is over
Fire department swift water rescue crews were busy during the rainy weekend and remained on alert Monday morning.
The Los Angeles River was running about 3 to 4 feet deep Monday morning.
The Los Angeles Fire Dept. says rescue crews often get extra busy after the rain stops as people let their guard down.
"They get a little too close to the waterways and end up losing their footing and end up floating downstream," said L.A. Fire Captain Dusty Clark. "Years past we've ended up having several of these rescues that after the storm has passed, people come out and end up getting themselves in precarious situations and find themselves in harm's way."
One man believed to be experiencing homelessness and living in a riverbed channel was rescued Sunday evening from rushing water.
An Orange County Fire Authority swift water rescue crew pulled the man to safety at about 5:45 p.m. after he was found half-submerged in the river and clinging to a fence in Cypress.
In Rowland Heights, a Los Angeles Fire Dept. crew rescued a dog from a basin wash Saturday night near the eastbound 60 Freeway and Fullerton Road. The dog's owner was able to self-rescue. A group of unhoused people had been taking shelter in that basin.
During a Monday morning check of the Los Angeles River in the Sherman Oaks area, L.A. Fire Captain Dusty Clark reminded the public to avoid flood control channels and the river bike paths during inclement weather.
Clark also warned the public about driving vehicles into unsafe areas.
"People driving around road barriers or end up driving through standing water, we don't know what's lying underneath the water, or the condition of the roads under there," said Clark. "We found several individuals that ended up finding themselves in precarious situations."
L.A. Fire Station 88 said they responded to about 12 calls over the weekend from motorists stranded in their cars.
"People end up being overzealous thinking their automobile could make it through a standing puddle of water and then end up having their vehicles become incapacitated, which left them stranded, and then we would assist them to safety," said Capt. Clark.
One of those calls was from Big Tujunga Creek, where a Chevy Avalanche pickup truck got stuck in rushing waters.
Crews will remain on active alert until Tuesday morning.