| OSMB News |
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| Monday, August 21, 2006 |
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Marine Patrol to Conduct Saturation Patrol on Deschutes River
For Immediate Release
It’s the dog days of summer, and because there are more hot days ahead, the Oregon State Marine Board and local law enforcement agencies want to let boaters and water enthusiasts know that marine patrols will be out in force to ensure your safety. A saturation patrol is scheduled for later this season, in an area known as the “Maupin run,” north of Bend. This year there have been five fatalities on the Deschutes, four of them on the Maupin run.
A significant amount of time has been spent by the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office conducting recovery operations in the last few months. “I’m very concerned about the safety of everyone on the Deschutes River,” says Deputy Roger Pearce from the Wasco County Marine Patrol. “It remains the responsibility of every rafter to assess the river and determine if their skill level and equipment are adequate to safely raft any stretch of the river at any given water flow.” Pearce attributes skill level and the natural elements as factors to the number of water-related accidents this summer.
It’s not just rafters needing help, either. The Oregon State Police and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) conducted a saturation patrol near the Maupin run on August 5, netting four boating under the influence of intoxicants (BUII) arrests, according to Sergeant David Pond from the State Police Bend Patrol Office. “The number of in-water rescues is up for the Maupin run, and we are seeing the most problems on this stretch of the Deschutes,” says Pond. “People are consuming alcohol and don’t know the river, which is a dangerous combination. People intend to just go in for a quick dip to cool off, and wind up in serious trouble.” Many of the rescues are for people traveling the river in inner-tubes or swimmers entering from the river banks.
“Looking back over statistics in the last 10 years, this summer on the Deschutes River has been one of the worst for recreational boating fatalities and drownings,” says Ashley Massey, Public Affairs Specialist for the Oregon State Marine Board.
Marine Patrols will be on the look out for life jackets and sound producing devices. The patrols are also armed with a portable breath testing instrument that measures alcohol and gives immediate results of a subject’s blood alcohol concentration.
The Oregon State Marine Board, local law enforcement agencies and the Bureau of Land Management offer the following safety tips:
- Make sure you are properly equipped. Life jackets save lives, and sound producing devices help alert people nearby of an emergency. When rafting, carry at least one extra oar (or paddle) and a throw bag.
- Know your limitations. Skill is needed near Oak Springs because of holes and jagged rocks. It’s important to know how to maneuver around rocks and what to do if you collide with one.
- Water conditions this year have increased the difficulty of many rapids. Consider “portage” –exiting the water and re-entering, if unsure of safe passage.
- Scout unfamiliar sections of the river ahead of time, from the shore. Scouting is the best way to know what “lies ahead.”
- Make sure alcohol isn’t part of the equation. Alcohol affects your judgment to make good decisions and slows reaction time. A slow reaction is the last thing you want on a fast moving, unpredictable river.
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