Family’s quick action saves girl, 10, from drowning at Russian River beach

A 10-year-old San Francisco girl who slipped underwater was quickly rescued by her family Saturday afternoon at Monte Rio Beach on the Russian River and is reportedly doing well at Children’s Hospital ?Oakland.

By the time Monte Rio firefighters responded to the beach at 2:20 p.m., the girl had been pulled from the water by members of her extended family, Monte Rio Fire Chief Steve Baxman said.

The girl “spit some water out and started breathing,” he said.

A Russian River Fire District ambulance ferried the girl to Monte Rio Union School, where a REACH helicopter picked her up and flew her to the Oakland hospital, Baxman said.

The chief said he was advised the girl was “alive and well and getting better” at the hospital.

The girl slipped underwater close to the Monte Rio Bridge, where the water is 8 to 10 feet deep - the deepest part of the river at the public beach, which was packed with visitors Saturday, Baxman said.

A 5-year-old girl was in the water at the same time but was unharmed.

“You don’t know how happy we are,” Baxman said.