Citizen Fishermen, Vancouver Fire Crews Rescue Person From Columbia River During Marine Program Founder's Final Shift (Photo) - 06/27/26
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
Citizen Fishermen, Vancouver Fire Crews Rescue Person from Columbia River During Fire Boat Program Founder's Final Shift
VANCOUVER, Wash. — At approximately 10:30 a.m. today, the Vancouver Fire Department responded to a report of a person in the Columbia River after a witness called 911.
Multiple Vancouver Fire Department resources were dispatched to the scene, including resources from the Portland Fire Bureau and MCSO. Coincidentally, Fire Boat 1 was already on patrol as Engineer Paramedic Casey Holmes, one of the founding members of Vancouver Fire's boat program, was out on the boat for one final ride on his final shift before retiring after nearly 26 years of service with the Vancouver Fire Department.
After the incident was dispatched, Fire Boat 1 headed toward the reported location. Also aboard were several Vancouver firefighters from Engine 6 who had joined Holmes for a farewell patrol. Among them was a rescue swimmer, Engineer Bryan Kenney, who was prepared for an in-water rescue if needed.
As Fire Boat 1 arrived in the search area, several citizens aboard a nearby fishing boat located the person in the water. Without hesitation, they placed themselves at considerable risk to bring the individual safely aboard their vessel. The Vancouver Fire Department would like to recognize these courageous fishermen for their quick thinking and selfless actions which played a critical role in today's successful rescue.
Fire Boat 1 maneuvered alongside the fishing boat, where firefighters utilized one of the vessel's signature features—a bow-loading rescue ramp designed specifically to improve the safety and efficiency of water rescues—to transfer the patient onto the fire boat.
Holmes then safely piloted Fire Boat 1 back to shore, where patient care was transferred to VFD Truck 1 and AMR personnel. The patient was transported to a local hospital in satisfactory condition.
Today's rescue serves as an important reminder that while summer temperatures have arrived, the Columbia River remains dangerously cold. Vancouver Fire has responded to multiple water rescues this week alone and encourages everyone recreating on local waterways to wear a properly fitted life jacket, remain aware of cold-water conditions, and be prepared before entering the water.
While every successful rescue is meaningful, today's incident carries special significance for the Vancouver Fire Department.
For nearly 26 years, Engineer Paramedic Casey Holmes has served the citizens of Vancouver with professionalism, compassion, and dedication. Following his service in the United States Navy, Holmes joined the Vancouver Fire Department, where he combined his passion for helping others with his love of the water. For more than 20 years, he has been a cornerstone of the department's fire boat program.
As the Fire Boat Lead Pilot and the longest-tenured member of the fire boat team, Holmes has trained generations of fire boat pilots and deckhands while helping shape one of the region's premier marine rescue programs. He played an integral role in the research, design, procurement, and commissioning of Vancouver Fire Boat 1, helping establish the vision for the department's future on the water. Today, he continues to oversee the maintenance of both the fire boat and its boathouse while serving as a trusted evaluator for regional boat pilot testing and a shipboard firefighting instructor.
Earlier this year, Holmes was honored with the Vancouver Fire Department's **Meritorious Service Award**, recognizing his extraordinary leadership and lasting contributions to the fire boat program and to the department.
Colleagues know Holmes as a compassionate paramedic, a respected engineer, an exceptional apparatus operator, and a master boat pilot whose influence can be seen throughout the department and across the region.
It is perhaps fitting that on his final day with the Vancouver Fire Department, Holmes responded to one last emergency aboard the very vessel he helped design and bring into service. His final response aboard Fire Boat 1 concluded with a successful rescue, safely bringing one more person home.
The Vancouver Fire Department extends its sincere gratitude to the citizen fishermen whose courageous actions were instrumental in today's rescue. The department also thanks the Portland Fire Bureau, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit, and AMR for their assistance and coordinated response.
Finally, the Vancouver Fire Department congratulates Engineer Paramedic Casey Holmes on an extraordinary career of service and wishes him a happy, healthy, and well-earned retirement.
Capt Joe Hudson
Vancouver Fire Department PIO
cityfirepios@cityofvancouver.us
360-907-5576
360-869-3914
