Safety Information
L-R: Chief Jason Krusen, Engineer Michael Denicola, Chief Aubrey Jenkins & Michael Dawson, Chief Executive Officer of the River Alliance
April
11, 2012 - Columbia/Richland Fire Department, The River Alliance,
SCE&G, and Riverbanks Zoo promote river safety at a press
conference.
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River Safety Tips
Your safety depends on obeying all posted safety notices and warnings. Please follow these simple rules when you are fishing, swimming, or wading on the rivers:
- Learn
to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the
water is to learn to swim--this includes adults and children.
- NEVER SWIM OR BOAT ALONE.
- Tell someone where you are going, when you expect to return, and where to call if you don't.
- Wear a properly fitted Personal Flotation Device (PFD) at all times when you are in or near the river.
- Be prepared for extremes in weather. Know early signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and dehydration in hot weather.
- Reduce threat of injury by wearing protective footwear and proper clothing.
- Fish, swim, or wade below dams only during low-flow periods.
- Be aware of your surroundings and plan a quick exit from the water to the nearest bank in case of an emergency.
- Move to a safer area immediately if a siren sounds or strobe lights flash or if you simply notice the river level rising.
- Carry a first aid kit and know how to use it. Take a cell phone in case of emergency.
- Be
sure to take water or thirst-quenching drinks. Try to avoid beer and
soft drinks as they tend to dehydrate the body and alcohol impairs
judgment.
- Be sure your boating skills and experience are equal to the river and the conditions.
- Do not litter.
If you are caught in surging water
Any moving water can be dangerous. If you are caught in the water and swept off your feet, remember the following:
- Drop any items that can weigh you down.
- Stay calm, lie on your back, and keep your feet up and pointed downstream to avoid rocks and foot entrapment.
- Swim on your back with the current and then diagonally across the stream until you each the shore.
- Do not attempt to stand up until you are in shallow, slow-moving water.
- If you get trapped on an island, stay there and signal for help.
The three rivers, while offering many different forms of recreation, can also be dangerous if the proper precautions are not taken. We encourage all visitors participating in water activities to take the necessary safety precautions while enjoying the rivers. All river lovers should wear an approved life preserver while swimming, rafting, kayaking, etc. Remember that the rocks in the river and along the river banks are slippery.
If you plan on visiting the Saluda River, we encourage you to sign up for SCE&G’s automated message alert system to notify you in the event of rising water from the releasing of water by the hydroelectric plant up river. Each year the City of Columbia's River Rescue Team has had to rush into action to avoid disaster because the sirens were not taken seriously. Always use caution and take the necessary precautions when the sirens are activated indicating a change in the water levels.
We also encourage all river visitors to refrain from the use of alcohol and/or drugs while in the river or on the river banks.
For information on the Lower Saluda and the current water levels – visit the SCE&G website at :
http://www.sceg.com/en/my-community/lower-saluda-river/
Fast moving water, coupled with hidden underwater objects, can be very dangerous. Never stand in swift-moving water above your knees. If you lose your footing, your feet, arms or entire body can be forced into a crack, or into submerged objects in the river. The powerful force of the current can hold you down, causing you to drown or die from hypothermia. Hypothermia is the severe and sudden loss of body heat, possible any time air and water temperatures add to less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Low head dams, or weirs, are very dangerous! The Columbia Canal Diversion dam is a low head dam. Diversion dams may look safe, but you can get caught in the backwash and drown. The backwash is the surface water that recirculates from downstream of the structure at the boil line, churning backward into a powerful circular motion. You can observe debris caught and recirculating at dams, especially during high flows.
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