Rescue Crews Advise Swimmers To Be Aware Of The River Current
Memorial Day weekend is considered by many to be the unofficial start to summer, and some people might be tempted to jump in the pool, lake or river.
However they could be getting in over their head.
Jason Parks with Casper Fire EMS says Whitewater Park tends to be a popular area for water enthusiasts.
Aside from not wearing a life-jacket and practicing the buddy system, he says a number of swimmers tend to misjudge how strong the water flow is in the area, which can often lead to trouble.
"People underestimate the power of the water itself. even for advanced swimmers, it's very difficult to swim in current. We're talking about undertows, just like you see in the oceans, some of the tide changes you'd see in oceans. You have the same undercurrents in the river and so people just don't understand how the water works."
Parks says water temperatures right now may be much colder than what swimmers are used to, because a lot of mountain snow runoff is still working its way into the river systems.