WATCH: DNR ranger enters Provo River to help paddleboarder trapped under bridge

WASATCH COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — Body-worn camera footage from a rescue on the Provo River has been released, showing how a ranger and bystanders helped save a woman who became trapped under a bridge.

According to a press release from the Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Law Enforcement, on June 28, around 1:30 p.m., a ranger with the division was approached while on patrol. He was at the Trestle Bridge — located along the part of the Provo River in Wasatch County.

A citizen approached the ranger and said that a 45-year-old woman on a paddleboard had become trapped under the Trestle Bridge. The ranger and bystanders leaped into action and entered the river, where they held the woman’s head above the water until she was freed.

In the video, the ranger can be seen entering the water with a knife to cut the woman free from the paddleboard. While he’s in the water helping hold the woman, he instructs a citizen to pick up his radio and tells him how to page search and rescue.

Rescuers and the woman were in the water for roughly 30 minutes, DNR says, and the water temperature averaged around 55 degrees. Wasatch County Search and Rescue and EMS responded and provided care to those involved. Bystanders offered up their blankets and sleeping bags to help with the hypothermic conditions.

“We thank Wasatch County Search and Rescue, EMS, and the many citizens for their successful efforts in this river rescue. We also acknowledge the life-saving efforts of our officers. They selflessly entered the water, risking their own lives to save another,” the DNR Division of Law Enforcement stated.

The DNR Division of Law Enforcement shared the following tips for summer river safety.

• Always wear an appropriate life jacket for river use.
• Research the river system to understand how to navigate it safely.
• If unsure of your abilities, consider going with a guide.