On Saturday March 11

^th at 13:30pm Copper Canyon Fire and Medical Authority emergency crews from St 81 and St 82, along with YCSO Search and Rescue and Verde Valley Swift Water Teams were dispatched to a swift water rescue at Cocktail Trail and the Verde River. Initial reports stated that there were three victims that were stranded in the Verde River from a kayak that had capsized. Emergency crews arrived on scene to find there were two victims that required rescue from the river and a third member of the party that was not in need of rescue and had just boated to the river's edge awaiting the rest of the party that had capsized. One of the two victims had self-extricated from the river to a small island and was uninjured. This victim was assisted with the help of swift water rescue team over a small walking bridge to the main shore line without incident. The last victim was stranded in her kayak in the middle of the river and was unable to self-rescue or get out of the kayak due to swift currents and rapids. At this time this victim was not injured. A team of highly qualified rescuers from the CCFMA and YCSO SAR teams along with support activities from Verde Valley Fire District and YCSO SAR, were able to employ a rescue technique known as a wedge walk to gain access to this victim. The victim was extricated from her kayak and then extricated from the river to safety without further incident. None of the victims or rescuers were injured during the incident. The victims kayak was also retrieved from the river. CCFMA would like to take this opportunity to express thanks to the Verde Valley Fire District and YCSO SAR for their assistance and expertise in the rescue of these two victims.