: News

Filed Under:

Fire Department Praised For Icy Rescue

January 4, 2010
Play associated audio
comments

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.

Arts & Culture

NPR

China Builds Museums ... But Will The Visitors Come?

China is on a spree to build world-class museums and has opened about 100 of them annually in recent years. Two of the biggest opened on the same day last fall on opposite banks of Shanghai's Huangpu River. But filling these museums — with both art and visitors — is proving more challenging.

Food

NPR

Washington State Butcher Spikes Pig Feed With Weed

Despite its name, the "pot pig" experiment isn't an attempt to develop a new meaty treat for stoners. Instead, a Seattle butcher is feeding marijuana seeds, stems and root bulbs to swine as a cheeky money-saving measure.

Politics

NPR

'I Was Dismayed' To Learn What Agency Did, Ex-IRS Chief Says

Under Douglas Shulman's watch, IRS personnel singled out some conservative groups for extra scrutiny. That, he conceded Tuesday, has "justifiably led to questions" about the tax agency's motivation.

Technology

NPR

Airbnb Stays Are Illegal In New York, Court Rules

People who use Airbnb, the web company that pairs travelers with residents who rent out their homes on a short-term basis, are breaking New York City's laws, according to an administrative law judge. The vacation rental business was found to run afoul of the city's occupancy code.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.