Fire House Facts & River Safety Tips

07/10/2012 | Mike Erfert, Public Information Officer

From Sunday July 1, 2012 through Saturday July 7, 2012, the Yuma Fire Department responded to 195 emergency calls for service:

• 6 Commercial Assignments
  Including: A commercial dumpster fire at a business, and various alarms
• 8 Motor Vehicle Crashes
  Including: 1 fatal crash involving a pedestrian
• 169 Other Medical Emergencies (serious to minor)
  Including: 9 for difficulty breathing, 10 for chest pain, 23 fall victims, 6 unconscious people, 3 seizure cases, 13 people with psychiatric problems, 42 trauma injuries, 4 diabetic emergencies, 2 strokes, 4 dehydrated people, a call for three children locked inside of a vehicle, two calls for juveniles in the river, and other illnesses and injuries
• 12 Special Duty, Public Assistance, and Residential Assignments
  Including: Cleaning up fireworks inside a residence that a family dog had torn up, a water heater leaking natural gas, a dumpster fire near an apartment complex, and various alarms.

River Safety

This last weekend the Yuma Fire Department was involved in a water rescue along the Colorado River. Three juveniles between the ages of 12 and 17 were reported missing. They were found by YFD personnel in water too deep for their abilities and brought safely back to shore. This is the second similar rescue of children in less than a week. With the weather warming up we would like to take this time to pass along some water safety reminders.

Stay aware of your surroundings, water depths, water clarity, currents and other conditions. Be alert for holes, drop-offs and channels where water depths can suddenly change. Be sure your swimming abilities are up to the conditions, always observe the "buddy system" and never swim alone. Children should always have constant, responsible adult supervision around water.

Even adults should never swim alone. Always use the "buddy system". Never leave children unsupervised around water and this is even more critical around rivers and lakes.

Be sure of your equipment. Always wear an approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) when you are boating. Inflatable "pool toys" are not "approved" PFDs. It is especially important for children to wear PFDs.

Alcohol abuse can increase a person's risk of drowning. Alcohol can impair judgment and perception. You do want to stay hydrated but avoid heavily sugared, caffeinated or alcoholic beverages.

"Tubing" on the river (or taking advantage of other local water recreation activities) can be a lot of fun with the right equipment and taking the proper precautions!

For More Information

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Mike Erfert or Kayla Holiman at 373-4850.