Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services urge river safety amid summer heat

As the mercury continues to climb in southern Alberta, Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services (LFES) is reminding residents to prioritize safety when cooling off in local rivers and lakes.

Temperatures are expected in the low 30s throughout the next two weeks across southern Alberta.

LFES’s water rescue team lead Charles Schoening says those planning to float down the Oldman River need to be prepared.

“The number one thing is to always wear a lifejacket,” Schoening said. “People generally massively overestimate their own ability to swim, especially when they get into currents.

“You can develop into a bad situation very quickly.”

He says wearing proper swimwear and footwear, avoiding alcohol, bringing a cellphone, staying away from high-risk areas, creating a float plan and bringing a water safety kit are important.

So far this summer, the water rescue team has responded to two water rescues: one near the Oldman River’s weir and the other by the High Level Bridge.

On Tuesday, members of the water rescue team conducted training on the Oldman River near the weir.

“Anytime you’re doing any type of rescue situation, having all of your variables taken care of before you get in the water is going to be the safest thing for us as well as the patients we go to,” said Blake McCallum, a firefighter and paramedic who is a member of the water rescue team.

The training session comes as Alberta recognizes National Drowning Prevention Week from July 19 through 25.

“We see 66 per cent of drownings in Alberta taking place from May to September, with the majority happening this week,” said Madison Lalonde, interim managing director of Lifesaving Society of Alberta.

Lalonde says less than two per cent of drownings in Alberta happen in areas supervised by lifeguards.

This year’s National Drowning Prevention Week message is “Prepare. Prevent.”

“Make sure you’re prepared, so if you’re going out on a boat make a plan so someone knows where you’re going,” Lalonde said. “But focus on prevention.”

While the region’s river levels have returned to normal after heavy rain in June, McCallum says the risk of drowning remains.

“The water is powerful even for people that are comfortable in the water, it’s scary,” he said.

And river conditions can change quickly without notice.

“It could be raining 10 kilometres from here ... and that can very quickly affect the river conditions as well different currents can change the sand bars, the formation of the river bottom,” Schoening added.

“All those things can change very quickly.”