Pinawa water rescue a reminder to stay safe: first responders
Mike Purtill, chief of the Pinawa Fire and Rescue Service, told 680 CJOB that the five adults — none of whom were good swimmers or wearing lifejackets — were on the Pinawa Channel on flotation devices when the current overwhelmed them.
'It's kind of an isolated area, so they had no way out of the water — they were standing in waist-deep water,' Purtill said.
'(They) understood that they were in some serious trouble. They called 911 and we dispatched our crews, and we just led them to safety.'
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Purtill said people should know their swimming skill level before heading out on the water and always wear a lifejacket. The channel, he said, goes from swift to lazy to swift again, and for inexperienced swimmers, it can be a challenge.
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'For a seasoned veteran or somebody who's very comfortable in the water, there's no issues, but if you're a non-swimmer, you have yourself a problem.
'Get familiar with the waterway, understand that it is swift water — once you're on the float channel, it goes for about three kilometres, and there are very few areas that you can get off.
'Have your lifejackets … and have paddles.'
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