The Keremeos Volunteer Fire Department had a long night after several river riders required rescuing.

The department received the call around 9:30 p.m. and quickly mobilized to rescue the three people stranded in the Similkameen River.

The crew finally finished up, including packing up all the ropes and backboards, around 12:45 a.m.

The stranded people had to be rescued and then carried up the embankment to the ambulance in a basket stretcher.

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It’s believed that they had left the Red Bridge area at around 5:30 p.m. and that by the time someone heard them it had already become dark out.

While the rescue wasn’t the first for the department this year, it’s also not the most they have seen in a season.

“This year is our third or fourth worst, usually it’s just two,” said Keremeos fire chief Jordy Bosscha. “At least it wasn’t a body recovery.”

Bosscha’s advice for people thinking about heading down the river, head out earlier in the day and be aware that with how low the river is, it can take longer and require more walking than usual.

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