Local law enforcement discuss river safety tips

After a Mesa man died in a drowning incident in Maricopa County Saturday, law enforcement officials are advising swimmers to be especially cautious this summer.

“We have has incidents before on the lower Colorado,” Alfonso Zavala with Yuma County Sheriff’s Office said. “People have been floating underneath the Ocean to Ocean bridge. You don’t know what’s underneath that water.”

Mike Erfert with the Yuma Fire Department said he’s seen several drowning incidents in Yuma County, in 2018 alone.

“The river is not a babysitter,” Erfert said. “It is a natural waterway and as a natural waterway, it comes with inherent dangers. [Stay] close to children and [watch] them carefully.”

Erfert said swimmers should also be mindful of young children when participating in recreation and swim activities.

“Especially with small children,” Erfert said. “Children 4 years-old and younger are at the greatest risk of drowning in the state of Arizona.

For that reason, officials said swimmers should be prepared when taking a trip down the river.

“Have an action plan in place as well,” Zavala said. “Know roughly how long it’s going to take you to get down [the river.]”