What's Up in Stallion Springs?
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Stallion Springs Senior Officer James Best and Bear Valley Officer Stacey Arebalo received the Officer of the Year Awards from the Kern County Law Enforcement Foundation at their annual Awards Dinner on July 14 at the Stockdale Country Club.
On the evening of Friday, February 17, 2017, the County of Kern was struck by torrential downpours. Cummings Valley suffered massive flooding due to the storm, causing road closures and dangerous driving conditions. At approximately 8:30 pm, Officer Best received a radio call of “a female trapped in a vehicle with water coming over the vehicle”. The stranded subject, Mrs. Bibi Badri Saljooghi, later described the area as “a huge muddy river”.
Officer Best responded to the area of Pellisier Road south of Giraudo Road where he observed the Jeep Wrangler in the center of swiftly moving flood waters and in immediate peril of being swept away. Mrs. Saljooghi and a large dog were trapped in the vehicle. Bear Valley Police Officer Stacey Arebalo arrived, driving a full-size patrol pick-up truck.
The officers were not able to approach the stranded vehicle on foot to affect a rescue due to the swiftly rising flood waters. Officer Best and Officer Arebalo quickly developed a plan to utilize the pick-up truck to assist them in their approach. With Arebalo driving and Best in the bed of the truck, they carefully entered the flood waters. Best directed Officer Arebalo as he reversed the bed of the truck towards the stranded vehicle and its occupants.
Arebalo could feel the truck being moved latterly by the strong current as the flood waters continued to rise. Arebalo maneuvered the bed of the pickup truck as close as possible to the stranded vehicle. Best reported that Mrs. Saljooghi was very cold and frightened. He called out to her, but due to the torrential rains, she could not understand him. He leaned as far over as possible and wrapped on the window, getting her attention. He advised her that he would need to transfer her over to the truck bed, along with her dog.
Mrs. Saljooghi, fearful of entering the waters, told Best that she could not overcome her fear to exit the jeep. Calmly, Officer Best explained to her that this was the only way to save her from being swept away by the rising flood waters. Both officers could literally observe the waters rising and could feel the current growing stronger. Officer Arebalo was barely able to keep the constantly moving truck under control maintaining their position near the stranded vehicle.
Best opened the Jeeps door, held tightly to Mrs. Saljooghi and was able to safely transfer her to the bed of the pickup truck. Officer Best observed that the waters were now well above the seats in the jeep and that the dog was becoming highly agitated. He attempted several times to grab the dog without success. Kneeling on the open tailgate of the truck Best tried to grab the dog once again. He lost his balance and fell into the flood waters.
He was completely submerged and could feel the swift current pulling him away from the truck. He reached up for any available purchase and was able to grasp a portion of the jeep. Pulling himself up, he broke the surface, grabbed the dog’s collar and was able to heave the dog into the bed of the pick-up and then pulled himself into the bed of the truck.
Finally, Arebalo was able to safely drive Best, Saljooghi and her dog to safety.
Officer Arebalo stated that he felt Saljooghi would have drowned in her car or would have been swept away by the current if there was no immediate intervention.
Chief of Police Mike Grant interviewed Mrs. Saljooghi who stated that she strongly believed she and her dog would have certainly perished in the flood waters if not for the intervention by Senior Officer Best and Officer Arebalo.
Both officers are to be highly commended for their teamwork on the fly, their heroism for putting their own safety at risk to rescue a fellow human being and pet, for their tenacity, and for their dedication to duty and safety for the community of Tehachapi.
Senior Officer James Best had been awarded the SSPD Life Saving Medal at an earlier SSCSD Board meeting.
CERT
On Wednesday, July 12, Stallion Springs CERT held wildfire incident familiarization training.
The group met at the Dip Tank located at the end of Cummings Court located off Horsethief Drive. CSD Staff demonstrated how to fill the dip tank which is utilized by KCFD Helicopter during a Wildland Fire. They then proceeded to the Stallion Springs EOC for a Training Exercise presented by Stallion Springs Police Chief Mike Grant.
Mock field exercise will take place as well so that volunteers responding to SSPD EOC during Wildfire Incidents will be familiar with the organization, command structure, and chain of command during these types of incidents.
POA
POA will be selling water, soda, and bake goods at both the upcoming up National Night Out on August 1 and at Oktoberfest. The fundraisers go for specific community needs like AED’s.
Neighborhood Watch
August 1 – Stallion Springs 2nd National Night Out, 4 to 8:30 p.m., at the Stallion Springs Community Center 27850 Stallion Springs Drive. Join the fun filled evening enjoying camaraderie with our SS Police Officers, KC Sheriffs, SS Fire Fighters and community organizations! Lots of games for the kids with prizes, Twilight Movie for the kids 8 to 9 p.m. by SS Parks and Recreation, hot dogs, nachos, sodas, and waters, POA Bake Sale, 50/50 drawings, Stallion Springs businesses and community organizations booths, and much more.
This Fundraiser will help purchase a third Philips Adult/Child Portable AED to be kept in the CSD’s Front Office. The first and second AED’s purchased last year were mounted immediately in each of the two new SS Police vehicles.
Stallion Springs Board of Directors.
Meet on the third Tuesday of every month. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, August 15, at 6 p.m. at the CSD Board Room.
