‘Be safe, have fun’ officials urge caution on the water this summer

By Lethbridge Herald on June 8, 2023.

A pair of dog walkers make their way alongside the Oldman River Thursday at Pavan Park. Officials are reminding residents to take precautions while entering bodies of water across the city. Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – apulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Officials with Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services are reminding everyone to take precautions and stay safe as residents start looking for ways to cool down, with many flocking to the river or other bodies of water across the city. 

“We see people getting out there on their floaties and swimming in the water, and we just want to give some safety tips for the people out there and what they can do to be safe on the river,” said Brendon Pyne, water rescue team leader with LFES.

He said people should inspect their floating devices before leaving their house to make sure they are capable of holding air, so they can be safe while floating on the water. 

“We’d like to see people not having alcohol or any sort of substances with them on the water, exercise caution, develop a float plan and let somebody know where you’re putting in and where you’re going to get out, and how long you expect that trip to take,” said Pyne. 

He said having a float plan and letting someone know about it will be beneficial if you do not reach your destination and they have to look for you, as they will have a reference point for their search. 

“We encourage PFD’s (Personal Floatation Devices) even if you’re a strong swimmer, we want people to have some sort of water footwear, for when they get out of the water or if they need to exit the water prematurely that they have protection for their feet, because it is pretty treacherous in some of the areas outside of the river,” said Pyne. 

He said they also suggest to have a cell phone while floating down the river in case people need to call for help, and to be aware of their surroundings in case they need to provide instructions of their whereabouts. 

“Also bring lots of water with you. The river is not a fast-moving river, so a trip from point A to point B on the river you might think could take 20 minutes, but could actually take a couple hours because it is slow moving water,” said Pyne. 

He said they are aware of people climbing to the side of the train bridge, and asked people to avoid the area, not only because the bridge is private property, but also because the water under it is filled with hazards. 

“We encourage people to stay off the train bridge, there’s so many hazards under the water in and around the pilings. We’ve pulled barbwire out, rope, and logs when we’re doing training in and around that area. There’s so many hazards that we encounter and we’re professionals and we still have had issues, so we asked the public to stay away from that area,” said Pyne. 

He said they also highly encourage people to stay away from the weir as it is a high risk area. 

“Although it doesn’t look imposing, there’s a big undertow in there and it’s actually fairly deep on the low side,” said Pyne. 

He said people should also avoid floating down the fish ladder and portage around the weir. 

“When they come across trees and collections of large trees and shrubs to avoid the area because there is the potential for foot entanglement, and with foot entanglement that can be a very hazardous situation,” said Pyne. 

When it comes to encountering someone having difficulty swimming or potentially drowning, Pyne said not to get in the water to try and help. 

“We encourage you to not enter the river, as a drowning victim can potentially turn into two drowning victims. If you have something you can throw to them, something that can float, for them to hold onto, a jacket you could get to them to reach that you could potentially get them and then pull them in with, but do not get in the river,” said Pyne. 

He also asked people to call 911 if they see someone in those situations ideally before attempting to aid them from shore. 

“We just ask that if you’re going to get out on the river, or any of the bodies of water in and around the city, that you exercise extreme caution. Be safe, have fun and have a safe summer,” said Pyne. 

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