| DON’T JUST PACK IT - WEAR YOUR LIFE JACKET! |
| WATER SAFETY AND AWARENESS |
There are many hazards in waterways. Rocks, trees and
branches can be under the water and “invisible” from the
surface. You can be trapped underwater by debris and
“holes” created by water current and drown. You can get
trapped by or slammed into these obstacles in swift water
currents. These currents can sweep you away in just
seconds. Know how to swim, learn the hazards of moving
water and take lessons before boating or floating on a river
or waterway & always wear a life jacket. Waterways are
subject to flash flooding. The skies may be clear where you
are, but storms upstream can send a wall of water down that
WILL wash everything in its path away in seconds. The dam
gates on the Pueblo Reservoir are opened as people who
own the water call for it. Without warning the flow in The
Arkansas River through Pueblo can increase dramatically.
The Fountain Creek is frequently above the state regulations
for E.COLI. E.COLI comes from human & animal feces &
can make people very ill, sometimes taking lives. Check local
E.COLI readings with a link on our web site at www.cwsa.
info.
Be aware of your surroundings; be smart & live to have fun.
NEVER swim in a river or waterway. They have currents that
can control where you go & may be deadly. Use designated
swimming areas for swimming.
ALWAYS WEAR a Coast Guard approved life jacket (PFD)
that is properly adjusted if you are in a waterway. Most
boaters wear a type III. Moving water is dangerous and a life
jacket increases your chances of survival dramatically.
Wear a helmet to protect your head and cold-water clothing
to protect against hypothermia in waterways.
Never tie yourself to anything. If your vessel becomes
trapped while tied to you, you will also be trapped. Ropes in
a current can also tie themselves around you and cause
drowning or choking. If separated from your vessel swim
aggressively to shore. Try to protect your head from hazards
if you approach them in the current. Do not stand in a
river as debris and rocks underwater can trap your feet.
BE PREPARED and know your personal swimming
limitations. Don’t endanger yourself. Know how to swim
before entering a waterway, even on a vessel. Only swim in
designated swimming areas. If you see someone in trouble in
a waterway call 911, DO NOT get in water, as you may
become a drowning victim too. Our community has a lot of
water-type recreational activities. Always follow rules and
guidelines. Make sure your children are accompanied by an
adult and wearing a life jacket when they are near a
waterway. Don’t let children play in Runyon Lakes or near the
low head dams below City Park or Santa Fe Avenue they
can be deadly. Rivers are always changing, what may be
safe one day can be deadly the next. Visit The Committee for
Water Safety and Awareness’ web page at www.cwsa.info
for more about water safety & awareness.
| Use our Parks and Waterways responsibly and live to have fun!! |
| Informative Water Safety Page |
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