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Fire Department Praised For Icy Rescue

January 4, 2010
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By David Schultz

D.C. Fire Department rescue crews were in Rock Creek Park near P Street, responding to a call about an overturned car in the stream. It had skidded off the nearby parkway sometime early yesterday morning.

U.S. Park Police say the car had been in the frigid water for several hours. But when the rescue crews reached it, Fire Department spokesman Pete Piringer says they found its driver still alive. "It is possible to survive a cold water rescue," he says.

Park Police spokesman David Schlosser says the rescue crews' actions were heroic.

"They were waist deep in water that was running pretty quickly and they were breaking through the ice to get into the car. And as they were doing this, floes of ice were going past them," says Schlosser. "[It] was just absolutely outstanding to see the dedication that these guys had."

But ultimately, their dedication wasn't enough.

The driver of the car, Joshua Kuhlman of Arlington, Va., was pronounced dead late yesterday afternoon. He was 22 years old.

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