Modesto Fire responds to 2 water calls on Memorial Day. How can you stay safe?
Despite fewer water-related calls than usual this Memorial Day, the Modesto Fire Department still urges people to stay safe while keeping cool in the water this summer.
Battalion Chief Darin Jesberg said the department received two calls from people out on the water, lower than is typical.
“I was surprised that we didn’t have more requests for services on the Stanislaus River, for it being so warm and it being a holiday weekend,” Jesberg said.
A child was injured around 6 p.m. on the shore of Woodward Reservoir after being struck by a personal watercraft, Jesberg said.
The watercraft was being ridden by an adult and a second child when it came out of the water, struck the first child and came to rest up against the tree. Jesberg said he did not know what led up to the incident or how it ended up on the shore.
The child who was struck suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, but was airlifted to a regional children’s hospital out of caution.
Medics examined and released the second child on scene. The adult was taken to an area hospital.
Then, around 8:15, water crews rescued two people who had become stuck on the shore of the Stanislaus River.
The pair found themselves in an unfamiliar area after the flotation devices they were using were punctured by branches and deflated, Jesberg said. They were located near the Honolulu Bar Recreation Area in Oakdale.
Neither was injured, but they called for help because they didn’t know where they were and it was beginning to get dark, Jesberg said.
People who are recreating on local bodies of water should take precautions in order to prevent dangerous situations, Jesberg said.
The most important thing is to wear a life preserver that fits correctly, Jesberg said. It is also important to tell others where you plan to go and when you expect to return.
Jesberg also recommended having a backup plan for emergencies, staying hydrated, taking extra food and water and wearing sun protection such as a hat or sunscreen.
People using inflatables in rivers should read the labels to make sure they are rated for use beyond a swimming pool. Jesberg said there is usually labeling on the device that tells where they can be used.
Pool floats and even some rafts are not meant to be used near the sharp branches and other hazards found on a river, and this could lead to a puncture such as the rafters this weekend encountered.
“They’re very thinly walled devices, and they don’t have much puncture resistance,” Jesberg said. “That’s when people start to get in trouble.”
