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Near drownings on the Willamette River require rescues Thursday in Eugene and Lebanon

In this photo, Eugene Springfield Fire crew rescue a person who lost their floating device in the Willamette River and nearly drowned.
Provided by Eugene Springfield Fire
In this photo, Eugene Springfield Fire crew rescue a person who lost their floating device in the Willamette River and nearly drowned.

A person floating the Willamette River Thursday evening nearly drowned downstream of Knickerbocker Bridge in Eugene.

According to Eugene Springfield fire, they were called with a report of a person who lost their floatie and was struggling in the water.
ESF said they arrived to find an unhoused person performing CPR on the victim on a gravel bar in the middle of the river.

Firefighters took over and eventually took the victim, in critical condition, to Riverbend hospital. ESF is seeking the person who helped the drowning person, to thank them.

Lebanon Fire crews rescued a person who was in the Willamette River after dark Thursday.

Fire crews and Linn County Sheriff’s personnel found the person and were able to get them to a hospital. Officials remind people of the importance of wearing personal flotation devices and telling others of plans when heading out on the river.

Eugene Springfield Fire said it frequently has to rescue people floating the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers on unsafe flotation devices without life vests. The agency said these choices put people’s lives at risk and deplete fire crews when they’re needed elsewhere.