In 2012, The Naperville Fire Department had five water rescues over Memorial Day weekend. We would like to remind residents that, even if you are just enjoying the river from the bank, the water can be dangerous. River levels can change drastically, depending on rainfall, making passage and maneuverability in the water more difficult.
Due to recent local rainfall, the river is at dangerously high levels. If you participate in water activities, a U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation device (PFD) should always be worn. Illinois law states that all children under the age of 13 must wear a PFD on vessels less than 26 feet in length.
Keep the following tips in mind when fitting yourself or your child in a life jacket:
- Life jackets are not like clothes. You DON’T grow into them.
- They should be Coast Guard approved and the correct size for your weight.
- Life jackets should fit snugly. The shoulders of the jacket should not come up above the nose or ears when pulled up or it will not stay on in the water.
- If your child’s weight exceeds the children’s sizes, you must purchase an adult sized life jacket for them.
- Kids don’t float, life jackets do!
- While most people believe that they are seasoned swimmers, boaters or kayakers, when the weather brings the river to dangerous levels, the BEST advice is to stay out of it!
River safety tips:
- Water that appears calm on the surface may have a current below the surface.
- Do not underestimate the power of an unseen current.
- If you are caught in a current and are being swept away, roll over on your back and go downstream feet first to avoid hitting your head.
- When you are out of the strongest part of the current, swim straight towards shore.
- Don’t try to swim against a current if caught in one.
- Swim gradually out of the current, by swimming across it.
A hydraulic is a strong force created by water flowing downward over an object, then reversing its flow. The reverse flow of the water can trap and hold a person under the water. If you are caught in a hydraulic, do not fight it but swim to the bottom and then swim out with the current to reach the surface.
Another thing to watch out for is the dangerous too’s—too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun, too much to drink and too much strenuous activity.
