JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – Starting next week, marine law enforcement from around the state will once again be perfecting their drift boating skills out on the Rogue River.
They’ll learn how to swim in whitewater, practice rescue techniques, and operate in remote environments with drift boats and rafts.
“Navigating whitewater is a perishable skill and it requires constant training and practice so law enforcement can respond to emergencies quickly and confidently,” says Eddie Persichetti, Law Enforcement Training Coordinator for the Oregon State Marine Board. “Each day the students drift different sections of the Rogue River. As the week progresses, instructors build on the skills from the day before and then move on to more advanced skills with more difficult rapids throughout the week.”
Persichetti adds, “The key component to this training is the attention on reading white water. It’s incredibly important to see the whole run ahead vs. the next ten feet in front of the boat. This year, rivers statewide are exceptionally swift, high, and cold. Students will first learn self-rescue techniques in the water and then dewatering drills, all while improving their drift boat skills throughout the course.”
The officers will be on the upper and middle Rogue from Lost Creek Reservoir to Argo Canyon from June 12th through the 16th.
For information on boat laws and regulations, visit http://boat.oregon.govhttp://boat.oregon.gov.
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