City of Red Deer reminds residents of river safety

The weather for Canada Day weekend is gearing up to be pretty good weather-wise, so the City of Red Deer wants to reiterate that river-floaters need to take precautions when out on the Red Deer River.

Anyone planning a float is reminded by Red Deer Emergency Services to take caution and assess safety and river conditions before, not after, entering the river.

Some of the tips provided by the City include:

• Estimate your time of arrival and make sure someone knows your itinerary
• Be  prepared for unexpected conditions and pack your raft or boat with suitable warm clothing, water and other necessities in case of emergency
• Life jackets should be worn at all times
• Carry oars or paddles to navigate and avoid obstacles
• User proper floatation devices. Inflatable toys are designed for floating on lakes, not in flowing waters
• Do not tie rafts, tubes, or dinghies together. When rafts are tied together, rafters run the risk of getting caught up around bridge pillars or floating debris