Should there be more River Enforcement?
Last night as my sun burned body settled into my chair I watched this video on NBC12 (embedded below) discussing the fact that anyone in the river yesterday should have been wearing a life jacket. They only found one person that was wearing a life jacket. Anytime the river is over 5 feet you are required to wear a life jacket. The fine for not wearing a jacket is $100. Considering the fact that the fire department was busy pulling people out of the river yesterday, is actually enforcing the rule a reasonable response? I would agree that in some spots such as Tredegar Beach enforcement would seem odd but what about rougher areas like Pony Pasture? What are your thoughts?
Life vests are hot and uncomfortable. Maybe an age limit, like everyone 14 and under should be wearing them, but for teens and adults, let us have some traditional un-sullied-by-the-advertising-consumer-industrial-complex summer fun by jumping in some water without having to go spend $20 to get more equipment to do so.
Know your limits and don’t swim alone.
Sometimes things in life aren’t 100% safe. I’m all for seat belts and such, but if the point is to dunk yourself and swim around, a life jacket sort of makes everything cumbersome and un-fun.
So does drowning.
The fire department’s valuable time is constantly being wasted by people who flaunt the existing law but know their own limits. Sounds very similar to the old complaints about seat belts. There should be enforcement and I would support very large civil fines for thr “victims”.
Speaking of river enforcement, does anyone know why about 20 police cars went flying down Riverside Dr. with their light and sirens on yesterday around 4:50 pm?
Jessica, I haven’t heard and haven’t received the daily police report, so nothing official. The rumor on the Woodland Heights board is that a police bicycle was stolen but I haven’t gotten confirmation on that yet.
Hmmm. I don’t really agree with #1 because invariably folks expect to be rescued when they encounter trouble.
The river is not a swimming pool: there are unpredictable currents, submerged hazards, and more, which can catch even the experienced folks who ‘know their limits’. Join a pool club if you want to go sans life jacket.
I’m more inclined to agree with #3. Maybe a warning of “At your own risk of substantial fine”. Our fire department should not be called upon to act as full-time lifeguards for people who choose to flout the rules.
Since it is a river, even just a dunk and a swim around can be dangerous. There a myriad of hazards under the water, not visable to the human eye. Futhermore, the river isn’t easily accessible at all points for the police/fireman. They do the best they can but it’s not a perfect solution.
I would also like to comment how the neighborhoods on the river are hugely effected by the large amount of people who visit it on a regular basis, especially holidays. The streets are parked up, litter is left ( I personally cleaned up wendy’s cups and ice bags last night.) In addition, we had to report a hit and run last night because someone hit our neighbors car and drove off.
I think eveyone should use the river in a safe fun manner. It’s not safe and fun when people get hurt, property is damaged, and we stop respecting each other.
I actually spoke with one of the Firemen on the shore yesterday near the south side bridge to Belle Isle. My 2 year old son loves the firetruck so we stopped, chatted, and discussed for a moment with the gentleman. Seeing the number of rescue staff in the area at that point I specifically asked him “is the river level above 5ft?” to which his reply was, “I dunno, blah blah blah”. Now I can understand not keeping up with that sort of thing but to actually be out doing a rescue as part of your job and to not even know the condition for the rescue seems like you are either grossly misinformed or simply uninterested in the details of your job, especially considering the task they were there to perform.
On another note, he was very nice and my son enjoyed the lights quite a bit.
Not only do rescues cost money that the City can ill afford, it also endangers the lives of the rescuers.
@Willis:
Rescues take place at all river levels, so the level is irrelevant to the support firefighters on the shore. I’m sure if you were to ask one of the river rescue folks, you’d get an accurate response.
I’ve been a river rat in Richmond for 20+ years. When it’s too high, I stay out; when I kayak I wear a vest, when I’m swimming at Pony Pasture I wait for it to be at a safe level before doing so.
It seems to me most of the rescues are of college students and county folks. I say charge 5 dollars per non city resident to come to Pony Pasture etc and upgrade facilities and provide river rescue folks onsite along several places with the raised funds. I hate to say it, but I pay in terms of home price to be close to the river and the obnoxiously large crowds who care little to preserve the environment of the facility they enjoy or respect a boat ramp as a boat ramp perturb me.
Posted 14 minutes ago by RFD Twitter: Units working a water rescue at Belle Isle. They are looking for a male. NFD
I think the way the information is presented is a problem. Even if the Westham gauge was taken as the proxy, if river levels were displayed at Pony Pasture, Belle Isle (and any other place that swimmers like to congregate where there are rapids) as a green, yellow, amber, red flag according to conditions in the rapids, people might pay more attention, and it might be easier to fine people if rescuers have to pull them from danger. For the average fun-in-the-sun lover, telling them the Westham Gauge is reading above 5ft means nothing. It is useful information to an experienced kayaker wanting to know the condition of various rapids, but not to someone wanting to chill on the rocks and take the occasional dip. It works at the beach. People who are comfortable in their ability will still go in the water under an amber flag, but if RFD have to pull them out there should be a predetermined fine for the service. Telling people to wear a life-jacket when dangling their feet from a rock is obviously never going to work.
1 BELLE ISLE RICH / CrossStreet: HILLCREST RD FIRE, WATER RESCUE (Special Assignment) On Scene 9:36 PM MALE WAS SWIMMING IN THE WATER ABOUT A HOUR AGO…COMPL ADV HE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN SINCE HE GOT CAUGHT IN THE CERRENT
I think more enforcement is a great idea. Add more staff to James River Park to educate the pubic about this.