Man rescued from Columbia River, sent to hospital

A man was sent to a local hospital Monday morning after reportedly spending 30 minutes in the Columbia River near the Red Lion Hotel Vancouver at the Quay.

Firefighters and American Medical Response were dispatched to reports of a man in the water around 7:15 a.m. at the dock behind the hotel at 100 Columbia St.

According to emergency radio traffic monitored at The Columbian, a boater spotted someone in the river and was attempting to get him out of the water.

Jay Woodruff, who was riding his bike in the area at the time, also stopped to help the man get out of the water. He was conscious but it looked like he was going into shock, Woodruff said.

Vancouver Fire Department Capt. Travis Kent said the man told firefighters he had been dangling his feet in the water. He ended up being in the water about 30 minutes, Kent said.

He was hypothermic and sent by AMR ambulance to a local hospital for treatment.

“(Crews are) just taking him to get warmed up,” Kent said.

The man’s name was not available.