On December 22, 2025, at approximately 1:05 p.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center received a call from a 72-year-old woman reporting that she was trapped inside her vehicle after driving onto Fulmore Rd. in Ferndale which was flooded. The caller advised HCSO dispatch that water was rising inside her vehicle, and it was rapidly floating down the road.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene along with the Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department, the Fortuna Volunteer Fire Department, Cal-Fire, the California Highway Patrol, and a United States Coast Guard (USCG) helicopter. The vehicle was located on Fulmore Rd. north of Goble Ln., and the water was covering most of the vehicle. A local Ferndale resident assisted the first responders by providing a tractor, which was used to transport deputies and emergency personnel to the woman’s vehicle. The Ferndale Fire Department further assisted by deploying a swift water rescue swimmer.

The woman was successfully removed from her vehicle and transported by the USCG helicopter to a local hospital, where she is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office extends its gratitude to the Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department, the Fortuna Volunteer Fire Department, Cal-Fire, the California Highway Patrol, and the United States Coast Guard for their coordinated response and assistance, which resulted in this successful rescue.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office reminds the public to avoid driving through flooded roadways, as conditions can change rapidly and create extremely dangerous situations.

Photo of submerged vehicle / HCSO