FIRE CREW PULLS FARM WORKER OFF TRACTOR IN CREEK.Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer Panic filled Francisco Gabaro's face Tuesday as he clung to a tractor sinking in the rain-swollen Castaic Creek Castaic Creek is a stream in northern Los Angeles County, California. It is a tributary of the Santa Clara River. Castaic Dam on the creek forms Castaic Lake, but most of the water comes from the West Branch of the California Aqueduct, also called the State Water Project. . Within moments he was rescued, swooped from the 7-foot-high waters into the safety of a helicopter. The farm worker was driving the tractor to another field on Kimball Cilantro Farms off Highway 126 near Val Verde Val Verde may mean:
dirt road n → chemin non macadamisé or non revêtu dirt road dirt n through the normally dry creek Dry Creek may refer to:
``The foreman was sending him to another field, but not through the river - on the road,'' said Gabaro's boss, Jesus Gonzales Jesus Ernesto Gonzales (born 1985) is a Mexican-American former amateur boxer who was considered by boxing critics to be the United States top medal contender for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. , part-owner of the farm company. Gabaro climbed atop the small section of tractor not yet under water and waited for help about 11 a.m. That help came fast. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County firefighters threw Gabaro a life vest and strapped him to a rope as a precaution. About 20 minutes later, a county Fire Department helicopter hovered down and pulled him off his perch. Paramedics checked on Gabaro's well-being and immediately released him at the scene. Gabaro, who does not speak English, ducked questions after joining co-workers. Though the rescue crews were able to save Gabaro quickly, about 30 fire and emergency crew members had prepared for the worst, said fire Battalion Chief Mike Sandeman. Rescue workers were stationed at several points along the creek, Sandeman said. A crew upstream watched for debris that could float down and knock Gabaro from the tractor, he said. And several crews downstream prepared a net in case Gabaro fell in the water. Ventura County crews also were warned because Castaic Creek flows into the Santa Clara River Santa Clara River may refer to:
``We tried to do the safest rescue procedure,'' Sandeman said. ``We get everyone in place all at once. If he's moving in the water, we need to be prepared. We don't want to get here and then realize we have to set something up downstream.'' A state Transportation Department crew apparently spotted Gabaro in the creek and called 911 for help, said Steve Glamuzina, a labor foreman with Granite Construction Granite Construction is a member of the S&P 400 Index, and is the parent company of Granite Construction Company, one of the nation's largest heavy civil contractors and construction materials producers. , which was doing flood management work along the waterway. Glamuzina said his crew threw a line in and was attempting to help Gabaro when fire crews arrived a few minutes later. The dirt road used to cut across the creek had signs posted on both sides warning crews not to cross through the water, Glamuzina said. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (1--Color) (Color in SAC Edition only)A helicopter crew prepares to rescue Kimball Cilantro Farms worker Francisco Gabaro from Castaic Creek on Tuesday. Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News |
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