SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Keeping people on the water safe this Memorial Day weekend is a big task for fire departments across our region.
It was Memorial Day weekend last year when 5-year-old Ziyon Butler drowned in the river. It’s that kind of tragedy the Sacramento Fire Department is hoping to prevent.
“Traditionally, this holiday, we can suffer a tragedy down [at the river] and it's usually in the afternoons on Sunday,” said Sacramento Fire Department Captain Keith Wade.
As people head back to places like the river, the Sacramento Fire Department wants to refresh everyone on water safety tips for the entire family.
First, always wear a life jacket. The department is making free life jackets available for people to check out at six of their stations in the city.
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Another tip from the department, don’t drink alcohol when you’re down by the water, it could lead to bad decision making and later, danger. Also, to keep a close eye on the kids at all times.
Last but not least, officials are warning people to never underestimate the water.
“The water is cold. It might seem calm on top, but it's actually moving pretty fast underneath still,” Wade said, “There's a little bit of a current, there are tanglements that people can get caught in underneath, there are snags or there's debris coming down the waterway. So everyone, please be safe.”
Many families flocked out to Tiscorina Park on the first day of the long Memorial Day weekend, grateful for the new freedom.
“I was stressed in the house, just over the pandemic and finally we're getting back to normal,” said Kida Burns, who was visiting the river, “It feels good to be back to where we were.”
To find out which local fire stations you can go to check out free life jackets to rent, click here.
(Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article cited information from the Cosumnes Fire Department about the number of drowning deaths in Sacramento County. The department says the number is incorrect. It has been removed from the article.)
