TD Officer Reams receives award of valor

Upon arrival, Officer Reams and his Field Training Officer Sam Perez were able to locate the swimmer, who was stuck in the river with her foot caught between rocks in the riverbed. She was nearing exhaustion due to her continued exposure to the cold, fast-moving water. According to the swimmer, she had been caught in the river for more than 30 minutes and had made the call using her Apple Watch.

“The swimmer was showing signs of hypothermia,” Worthy said. “Her voice was raspy and broken and she was in obvious distress.”

Personnel from Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue joined the officers, and fire personnel attempted to provide the swimmer with a ladder and, from the shore, pry apart the rocks her foot was stuck in. However, the attempts were unsuccessful, and the swimmer’s condition continued to get worse.

“Officer Reams assessed the scene and determined that the rescue of the swimmer needed to be immediate and he would be able to aid in the rescue only by entering the water to feel how the entrapment was occurring, and the water was too murky to allow any visual inspection from above,” Worthy said.

Worthy said Reams left his ballistic vest and duty belt on the shore and carefully entered the water downstream of the swimmer. Reaching under the water, he was just able to reach her foot, with only his head not submerged.

Reams was able to free the swimmer’s stuck foot and bring her to shore, where she could be taken care of by MCFR and treated for hypothermia.

“If it were not for the quick efforts of Officer Reams, this swimmer’s suffering would have been prolonged, and the potential outcome much worse,” Worthy said.