DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME 



'ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY . . .' 



Department of Fish and Game 

 field personnel rescued approxi- 

 mately 100 persons from im- 

 mediate danger of drowning 

 during the floods of 1955 and 

 assisted in the evacuation of hun- 

 dreds of others. 



But their greatest over-all con- 

 tribution in averting further dis- 

 aster was the fact that in many 

 areas, including Yuba City and 

 Klamath, Fish and Game war- 

 dens provided the only com- 

 munication with the outside 

 world for a period of several 

 days during the height of the 

 emergency. 



At Yuba City Wardens Ross 

 Waggoner of Yuba City and 

 Edward Dennett of Wheatland 

 foresaw the possibility of an 

 emergency and when the floods 

 struck, had set up an emergency 

 radio communication system. 

 Dennett gave the first warning 

 of the Shanghai Bend break, 

 and Waggoner relayed the 

 warning to the sheriff's office. 

 Robert Paillaix, Yuba City levee 

 commissioner, credits them with 

 preventing a staggering loss of 

 life. 



Crews under the direction of 

 Patrol Captain Don Davison of 

 Paradise, and Assistant Game 



Manager Albert Naylor of Gray 

 Lodge, Butte County, rescued 

 approximately 50 persons in the 

 Yuba City area. Warden Jack 

 Ferges of Roseville uarned of 

 the Nicolaus levee break, assisted 

 in rescue and evacuation work, 

 and maintained continuous radio 

 communications. 



In the stricken town of Klam- 

 ath, Del Norte County, War- 

 dens Otis Wright and Ralph 

 Schlitzkus were the first law 

 enforcement personnel in the 

 area, and had the only radio 

 contact with the sheriff's office. 



In the Eel River Valley War- 

 dens Lyle Null, Robert Perkins 

 and Larry Werder rescued 16 

 persons and assisted in the evac- 

 uation of the town of Weott, 

 brought in medical supplies and 

 food, maintained radio com- 

 munications and patrolled evac- 

 uated areas against looting. 



Warden Jack McKerlie of Pt. 

 Arena directed a dangerous res- 

 cue of 17 persons, including 15 

 children, cut off and in danger of 

 drowning in the raging Gualala 

 River. McKerlie for two da\s 

 maintained the only communica- 

 tions into Pt. Arena. 



In the Fernbridge area of Hum- 

 boldt County Warden Robert 



Wor(/ens Q\\ Berg, leff, and Hal Mefford in acfion during rescue operations 

 of height of Yuba City flood, 



(Fish and Game Photo by Capt. Don Davison) 



Burge was the first rescue party 

 to reach the area, and in addition 

 helped evacuate the town of 

 Orick. Warden Anderson Smith 

 acted as rescue coordinator in 

 Hayfork, Trinity County, for 24 

 straight hours, and had the only 

 communication with outside. In 

 Scott Valley Warden Robert 

 Fraser maintained the only com- 

 munication, and assisted in sev- 

 eral rescues. 



Warden Forrest McDermott 

 served continuously for five days 

 in the Santa Cruz emergency, 

 and at one time had the only 

 communication in the entire 

 county. 



Wardens Davis, Owen and 

 White, working as a team with 

 cars and boats, rescued 40 per- 

 sons in the Visalia area. Wardens 

 Becas and Burnett rescued six 

 people in the Lemon Cove area, 

 and then Becas returned to his 

 own flooded home and evacu- 

 ated his family and several neigh- 

 bors. Burnett for a time provided 

 the only radio contact with the 

 Tulare County sheriff's office. 



Scores of other fish and game 

 people assisted in levee patrol, 

 radio communication, patrol 

 against looting, and directing 

 rescue. 



In none of the cases were the 

 Fish and Game men ordered to 

 this duty, the men accepting re- 

 sponsibility voluntarily. Fish and 

 Game boats and radios and other 

 equipment in many cases were 

 on the scene before actual flood- 

 ing took place and their use 

 helped prevent damage and loss 

 of life. 



At least 75 department men 

 contributed efforts far beyond 

 the normal call of duty during 

 this emergency period. 



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