PORTLAND – Amid a fierce “bomb cyclone” storm, a team of firefighters from Vancouver, Washington, arrived at the Columbia River dock on Tuesday for a high-stakes rescue mission: saving a man and his puppy stranded on a 32-foot sailboat.
The vessel, partially tethered to the dock, was too far away for the pair to safely jump ashore. With howling winds and tumultuous waves, pulling the boat closer was not an option.
“I was worried about the person we were rescuing,” said Vancouver Fire Department Battalion Chief Goeff Robbins to *The Oregonian/OregonLive*. “Those were the worst conditions I’ve ever seen on the river.”
Initially, the firefighters tried reaching the man from the unstable dock, but the storm made it too dangerous. Waves crashed over the dock, which Captain Jesse Martin feared might collapse at any moment. They realized the rescue boat was their only option. 
The fire department’s boat navigated to within a few feet of the sailboat, a challenging task given the powerful winds and waves. Once in position, a rescue swimmer leaped onto the sailboat and assisted the man and his dog in safely transferring to the fireboat.
The man, whose name has not been disclosed, was reportedly “frantic” with fear and had to be coaxed out of the cabin, according to Robbins. Meanwhile, the terrier mix, weighing about 40 pounds, struggled to break free from the rescuer’s arms during the operation.
“They’ve put a lot of effort into training for situations like this,” said Martin. “I’m really proud of what the team accomplished.”