(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — First responders are crediting life jackets as a factor in a positive rescue of four people at Rampart Reservoir on Sunday, July 6.
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), four paddleboarders were knocked into the water as wind and waves increased suddenly on Rampart Reservoir on Sunday afternoon.
First responders, including CPW, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO), Teller County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Springs Fire Department, and North East Teller County Fire Protection District, headed to the scene after emergency calls came in around 2:45 p.m.
CPW said two adults and two teens were impacted by the weather change. The adults and teens, unrelated, were recreating in separate areas and found themselves swimming in water temperatures recorded in the 50s in a reservoir with depths to 180 feet.
EPSO deputies arrived first on the scene and borrowed a citizen’s vessel to initiate a search for the paddleboarders. Deputies found and rescued the two adults and soon received news that the teens had made it safely to shore on their own. First responders linked up with the teens to confirm and terminated the response effort by 6:15 p.m.
“The fact that these individuals chose to wear life jackets most certainly saved their lives,” said Tim Kroening, CPW Area Wildlife Manager. “The majority of water-related deaths in Colorado occur because people do not wear a life jacket. In the two days prior, our team made direct contact at Rampart Reservoir with more than 400 boaters, anglers, and others recreating there to ensure compliance with safety requirements and fishing licenses.”
CPW recommends the following for best practices for water safety:
- Wear a life jacket.
- Find a CPW life jacket loaner station to borrow a life jacket. Note: There is no lifejacket loaner station at Rampart Reservoir at this time.
- Protect yourself from the dangers of cold water shock. Regardless of age or experience level, cold water can quickly create a drowning emergency.
- Paddleboards and kayaks are considered vessels, and life jacket requirements apply.
- On rivers, heavy rain or wind can rapidly raise water levels without warning. Check river flows at https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools/Stations.
- Only boat or paddle in conditions you are comfortable and confident paddling in.
- Boat and raft with a buddy and avoid floating alone, especially during high flows.
- “Clean, drain, and dry” your boat and gear. Find a CPW Gear and Watercraft Cleaning Station to decontaminate your boat, wet equipment, waders, and boots.
- Alcohol impairs judgment, balance, vision, and reaction time on the water, which can increase fatigue and the dangers of cold-water immersion. A general rule to remember is that one drink on land is equivalent to three drinks on the water.
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