He jumped into storm-swollen waters to save his dog. Then he had to be saved
A man's decision to leap into the churning water of the Pacoima Wash to save his dog led to a dramatic rescue — of the man, not the dog, which climbed out on its own.
Firefighters with the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the river in Sylmar around 2:45 p.m. Monday after a bystander reported that, amid L.A.'s stormy weather, a "man jumped in the flowing water in pursuit of his dog," the department said.
An LAFD crew hunted for the man, going to numerous bridges overlooking the 33-mile-long tributary of the Tujunga Wash, which is a tributary of the L.A. River. They first spotted the canine, which had swum to the side of the river and gotten out of the rapidly flowing current, officials said.
A helicopter located the man at another point in the river. A rescuer was lowered into the water and was able to grab the man — who was still conscious — and hoist him back up to the helicopter, video shows.
Read more: California storm: After 5 days, the rain has stopped. In its wake, 9 dead, a trail of destruction
The dog was treated for minor injuries. The man was taken to a hospital in the helicopter, according to fire officials. Information on the man's condition was not immediately available.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
