Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death to children. “All the way until the time they’re about 20. It’s almost the number two cause for adults worldwide,” says dive training instructor Butch Hendrick.
Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services’ Water Rescue Team was at Riverstone Pond this week for four days of extensive training in the water.
Team Lead Charles Schoening says dive training is completed every three years to refresh everybody’s skills and to train new members of the team.
The skills learned are to search for evidence or if there is an unfortunate drowning incident, the team can do a recovery, Schoening notes. “This is what it’s teaching us to do.”
“We get nice weather in Lethbridge and people want to take advantage of that. One of the ways they take advantage of that is to spend time near the water. Our river is extremely popular for rafting and floating,” adds Schoening.
According to Hendrick, team members work with a full mask and scuba gear. “Divers die because they don’t know how to clear them. Every dive they make, before they go, they put that mask on underwater and clear it.”
Team members are also wearing a dry suit, Hendrick adds. “Wearing a dry suit makes it difficult to move. Cramps are extremely high, leg cramps especially.”
And, team members learn how to use equipment they’ve never used before and learn how to communicate by rope signals.
Training is a team event, says Hendrick. “They have to function as a team. Redundantly throughout the day, I have made them become a team. We keep creating another problem one can’t fix. They have to be a group that understands the problem and how to make this work.”
Trainees also learn how to cut things underwater, as part of their training. “It’s the first time they’re going to cut cable, fishing line and electrical cords,” adds Hendrick.
Every single driver is also replaced on the bottom, says Hendrick. “Our guys, you finish your dive, and the next diver is going to come down the line and replace you right where you were.”
According to Hendrick, through training, team members have to trust each other, “the same way they do in a fire.”
Schoening offers a few tips for you and your family if you hit the water this summer to cool off.
Make sure somebody is aware of what your plan is. “If you’re going to go for a float, call a trusted family member or friend and tell them when you’re planning to go to the river, where you’re going to be parked while you’re on the river, what vehicle you’re taking and what your expected time of arrival back is.”
“If you’re overdue, that person can start to take steps to make sure we come and find you and you’re safe on the river,” Schoening notes.
Alcohol and water don’t really mix well. “I know it’s great to go out there on a hot day and have a few beers and float in the river, but it’s not a great idea to mix those things. You want your judgement at 100 per cent when you’re out on that river. We have a very lazy, long slow-flowing river, but there’s still some things that can get you into trouble. There are unpredictable currents, there’s varying depths in the river, so you don’t always know what you’re going to be dealing with.”
Schoening adds make sure to take sturdy footwear with you. “If you get into a situation where you have to come out, you’re able to walk onto the shore. If you’re out there in bare feet, it’s not a friendly river. There’s big sharp rocks and you’re going to be right onto a shore that’s all branches and thick brush. Keep that in mind.”
If you can, put your cellphone in a waterproof case. “So, you will have that with you. Most places along our river, you can get pretty good cell reception, and you can call for some help if you need it.”
Remember, it’s going to take you longer to float the river than you think it is.
“It’s not something where you’re going to go out there at 7:30 p.m. and be off by dark. If you think you’re going to float all the way from Botterill to Pavan, it’s going to take you longer than that, so give yourself enough time to make sure you’re out way before dark.”
According to Schoening, the High Level Bridge is not a great place to be in the water.
“There’s an extremely unpredictable current around the pillars of the bridge and there’s also a lot of snag risks. There’s barbed wire that’s floated down river. There are steel beams down there. There’s tons of fish hooks, fishing line and those types of things. It’s an extremely dangerous place to be.”
The pillars, Schoening says, are also private property of the rail. “Technically, you shouldn’t be there at all. It’s not a great place to recreate.”
People most definitely should be wearing a PFD at all times when on the river, and make sure whatever you’re floating on is actually meant for going out on a river.
As a reminder, none of the bodies of water in Lethbridge, aside from the river, are meant for swimming. “You’re going to find the water is dirty, there’s a lot of mud and silt, there’s going to be leeches in most of these water bodies. Especially this year, with such a hot dry year, there’s weeds all the way around most of the bodies of water.”
Schoening notes if you have kids, keep a close eye on them. “It’s OK if they want to go splash at the edge of the water, but they shouldn’t be doing that unsupervised.”
(Photo by Stan Ashbee)
