On Sunday, January 12, 2025, at about 2:30 p.m., Washington County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a welfare check for a woman who had fallen out of a kayak while recreating on the Tualatin River near Meriwether National Golf Club.
The woman was kayaking with friends when she hit a tree, fell out of her kayak, and experienced a medical emergency due to the cold temperatures. The woman was helped to the riverbank, where her condition began deteriorating.
Deputies arrived and located the kayakers on the opposite bank near the 18th hole. The kayakers were in an area difficult to see or access through thick brush. Using GPS markers in their body cameras, deputies began working to locate the boaters from the side of the river they were on.
One of the deputies used a kayak to cross the river and render aid, recognizing the need to get to the woman quickly. The other deputy used a machete to cut through the brush line, created a pathway, and led medical personnel to access the woman.
The woman was transported to a local hospital and survived.
The Sheriff's Office is grateful for the coordinated efforts by the caller, TVF&R, Hillsboro Fire, and American Medical Response (AMR) for their swift actions, which saved the life of a community member.
Source: Washington County Sheriff's Office