STANISLAUS COUNTY, Calif. — The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office has seen more than half the number drownings they usually see throughout the season, and the summer months have barely started.
The most recent death happened at Modesto Reservoir on July 6. Deputies got a call about a man in distress, but despite finding him within minutes, he died at a hospital.
Sgt. Veronica Esquivez, spokesperson for the sheriff's office, said the man was in one of the day use areas, an area where people generally go for swimming and barbecues.
The man was the sixth drowning in Stanislaus County since the hotter weather started coming in. Sgt. Esquivez said the drownings have come in at an alarming rate.
"Usually every year, we average between maybe eight to 10 drownings throughout the summer, throughout the hot months," Esquivez said. "We're just starting July, and we're already at six. So it's definitely been at a higher rate this year and there's no way of telling why."
Other victims include a 38-year-old man out of Oakland who drowned at Modesto Reservoir Tuesday, and on June 29, Michael Sorenson, 63 of Hughson, drowned after his kayak capsized on the water.
Woodward Reservoir also saw the drownings of 21-year-old Franci Antonio Paz Madrid, of Modesto, and 24-year-old Oscar Rafael Coello-Flores, of San Francisco.
Esquivez said each recovery time might differ in part due to the clarity of the water and where they were last seen.
"Usually when people drown, the first 10 or 15 minutes, they're standing upright in the water. So it's not like in the movies where they float and they are horizontal on the water. So we can't see them, and they're usually maybe two to three feet below the surface," Esquivez said.
Information can mean the difference between finding a body within minutes and a search that might take much longer.
"Yesterday, I would say that he was wearing a light brown shirt... So we were able to locate him fairly quick because he stood out from the rest of the area," Esquivez said.
As far as why there have been so many drownings, the factors at hand might vary, but some things stand out.
"I think people overestimate their swimming capabilities, and then when you add drinking to the equation, they're dehydrated. You don't know how the body's going to react. Some people panic...," Esquivez said.
She said most of these incident involved some level of drinking. It's not clear to what extent or which specific incidents.
Nonetheless, Esquivez said there is one thing that could have prevented many of the drownings: a lifejacket.
"Our biggest thing is wear a lifejacket. If you don't have one, our Parks and Recreation staff at the reservoirs, they have tons of them that they'll let you borrow. If you see one of our deputies, ask them for a lifejacket. We'll give one to you," Esquivez said.
With heat still in the forecast and people likely to return to the reservoirs, Esquivez said people should be conscious of their intoxication level before getting into the water, aware of the swimming capabilities and swim with a partner in case something goes wrong.
If you see anyone struggling to stay afloat in the water, she said people shouldn't hesitate to call 911.
"We would much rather go to a hundred calls of someone possibly drowning, but we get there quick than people not call and then we get to the scene 5, 10 minutes later because it took them a while for them to call us," she said. "So if you see someone struggling, don't hesitate, just call. It won't hurt. We'll be out there."
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