On September 9th, 2021 at Devils Churn on the Oregon coast, Steve Allen slipped and fell into the water. Several spectators, myself included, attempted for 20 minutes to rescue him. First responders arrived to the area on foot while Steve was still alive. They were in no hurry at all even though the spectators were yelling that Steve was still alive. By the time that they arrived at the edge of the churn Steve had just gone under. The water was calm and it was a sunny and warm day. The water temperature was about 52 degrees. When one of the first responders looked over the edge to the water about 15 feet below, he laughed!  Linda, Steve's wife, saw this!  When asked if they even brought rope, since they weren't doing anything, one of the first responders held up his throw bag and said "rope, we have rope" but did nothing. The first responders did nothing, no rescue, nor an attempt to and they said nothing helpful. I was still attempting to get a rope around Steve's body when I looked up and saw a first responder standing there watching what I was doing and saying nothing. I asked him, he was standing directly across from me (the width of the churn at that point was around 3 feet), if he would hold part of the rope so I could get the rope around Steve's foot. I wanted to at least tether Steve so he didn't float out to sea. The first responder looked at me, shook his head and said no! Subsequently Steve's body floated out to sea and was found a week later!. He never told me to stop, or to step back for my safety, nothing for his or my safety. Yet as I turned to walk away after Steve had floated out of range, the first responder said "be careful it's slippery and you have been exerting yourself." I want to know why he waited until I was leaving before he said anything to me. Was it because he was afraid that he would have to do something if I fell in or was it because if I fell in he would have to stand there and watch me drown? One possible reason for their lack of response is the limitations that the insurance imposes on them. I have attempted to go to each agency and ask for a thorough investigation into the response of the first responders. All I have gotten is "it's not our jurisdiction" or a flat, "we aren't going to do anything". The drowning was bad enough, but the lack of any compassion or courtesy, the absence of an attempt to save Steve or at least rescue his body, no communication -  commands to "Step back" because it was (their agency later said) too dangerous (to themselves) to attempt any approach  - this was horrible.  Nothing, they did nothing at all!  Linda doesn't want the same thing to happen to another person, but the YRFPD subsequently described it as "a good day". I am including a link to 'Yachatsnews.com'. Quinton Smith, the editor, has posted a series of articles covering both sides of the incident. We, myself and a small group of citizens who were present or participated in the attempt to save Steve, are looking for an overarching investigation into the response by the YRFPD that day. None of the agencies contacted, USDA, Oregon Parks and Recreation, Lincoln county (the owners of the property), US Coast guard, Oregon State Police are willing to claim jurisdiction over the site. Lincoln county agreed that the property was indeed theirs however they're response was that "they don't manage it," without telling who does.

https://yachatsnews.com/news-article-five-months-after-tragedy-at-devils-churn-bystanders-who-tried-to-save-drowning-victim-are-still-searching-for-answers/