Thursday Rural Metro fire in Josephine County conducted hands on water safety trainings for firefighters and community members who might find themselves in adverse situations along the Rogue River.
“We’ve already had a few close calls this year,” says division chief Austin Prince.
Rural Metro says there are numerous fatalities each year on the Rogue River.
“Unfortunately it holds a nasty reputation for catching our local people who want to recreate in this river off guard”
To help reduce those fatalities… It holds trainings given by rescue professionals.
Professionals like J. Brett Turnbull.
“I’ve worked in Mumbai with the India Fire Department for swift water rescue training,” he says.
Turnbull was born and raised in Josephine County.
He served in the US Navy and is now a part time fire volunteer in Josephine County.
“These are the guys that are going to be responding so I feel very passionate about volunteering some of my time to try and help them out.”
Prince says there are ways anyone can benefit from this training… Should they find themselves in a fast moving river.
He says to “Relax, stay calm, move over to a sort of back stroke, paddle against the current calmly at a 45 degree angle.”
Rural metro fire conducts these trainings every month.
The month of July just happens to be water safety.
They’ll be continuing these hands on trainings throughout the month to help firefighters and community members alike to be safe out on the river.
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