July is one of the most dangerous months of the year for water rescues, according to Sacramento-area fire departments.Over the last several days, multiple drownings across the region have fire crews urging the community to wear life jackets, especially as temperatures hit triple digits across Northern California. The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District responded to 14 water rescues along the American River on Saturday, 13 of the people who were rescued survived and one person died.| READ MORE | Scuba diver dies in Sacramento River, swimmer dies at hospital after American River rescueThe Sacramento City Fire Department explained that although rescues are much less frequent for their response area, it was just last week they pulled a man’s body from the water. He had disappeared from a boat 24 hours prior near the confluence, which is where the Sacramento and American Rivers meet.Rushing water creates dangerous conditionsSacramento-area rivers are rushing at a rate of 4500 ft.³ per second, according to Metro Fire. They said that the high-speed of water flow is creating dangerous swimming conditions for all swimmers, even the experienced ones. Swimmers on Sunday noticed how fast the river was. “It’s a lot faster today, I feel like since the last time we’ve been here,” said 14-year-old Isaiah Ancheta, standing on the bank of the American River in his life jacket.Other swimmers were not taking the same precautions. When asked how they stay safe on the water, another swimmer along the river, Dilyn Karlsson, jumping into the water without a life vest told KCRA 3, “we all know kind of how to swim, we stay on the floats.”Sacramento-area fire crews say of all water incidents that there’s only one constant: they’ve never pulled a drowned victim out of the water who was wearing a life jacket. A free-of-charge Life Jacket Loan Program is available across multiple counties in California, including Sacramento, where anyone can borrow a life jacket. Officials urge anyone on or near the water to use one.| VIDEO BELOW | Water safety: Finding and fitting the right life jacket Drowning prevention tipsThe CDC emphasizes the importance of learning basic water safety skills, saying formal lessons can reduce the risk of drowning. “Lakes, rivers, and oceans have hidden hazards such as dangerous currents or waves, rocks or vegetation, and limited visibility,” the CDC warns. They say to always wear a life jacket for all ages and to not rely on air-filled floats as they are not safety devices. Officials also urge people to constantly watch children. “Adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like reading, using the phone, and consuming alcohol or drugs because drowning happens quickly and quietly,” the CDC said.
July is one of the most dangerous months of the year for water rescues, according to Sacramento-area fire departments.
Over the last several days, multiple drownings across the region have fire crews urging the community to wear life jackets, especially as temperatures hit triple digits across Northern California.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District responded to 14 water rescues along the American River on Saturday, 13 of the people who were rescued survived and one person died.
| READ MORE | Scuba diver dies in Sacramento River, swimmer dies at hospital after American River rescue
The Sacramento City Fire Department explained that although rescues are much less frequent for their response area, it was just last week they pulled a man’s body from the water. He had disappeared from a boat 24 hours prior near the confluence, which is where the Sacramento and American Rivers meet.
Rushing water creates dangerous conditions
Sacramento-area rivers are rushing at a rate of 4500 ft.³ per second, according to Metro Fire. They said that the high-speed of water flow is creating dangerous swimming conditions for all swimmers, even the experienced ones.
Swimmers on Sunday noticed how fast the river was.
“It’s a lot faster today, I feel like since the last time we’ve been here,” said 14-year-old Isaiah Ancheta, standing on the bank of the American River in his life jacket.
Other swimmers were not taking the same precautions.
When asked how they stay safe on the water, another swimmer along the river, Dilyn Karlsson, jumping into the water without a life vest told KCRA 3, “we all know kind of how to swim, we stay on the floats.”
Sacramento-area fire crews say of all water incidents that there’s only one constant: they’ve never pulled a drowned victim out of the water who was wearing a life jacket.
A free-of-charge Life Jacket Loan Program is available across multiple counties in California, including Sacramento, where anyone can borrow a life jacket. Officials urge anyone on or near the water to use one.
| VIDEO BELOW | Water safety: Finding and fitting the right life jacket
Drowning prevention tips
The CDC emphasizes the importance of learning basic water safety skills, saying formal lessons can reduce the risk of drowning.
“Lakes, rivers, and oceans have hidden hazards such as dangerous currents or waves, rocks or vegetation, and limited visibility,” the CDC warns.
They say to always wear a life jacket for all ages and to not rely on air-filled floats as they are not safety devices. Officials also urge people to constantly watch children.
“Adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like reading, using the phone, and consuming alcohol or drugs because drowning happens quickly and quietly,” the CDC said.
