Lodi Fire hones water rescue skills
For the Lodi Fire Department, keeping their skills sharp is a top priority. The department conducts multiple training sessions each year, covering a wide range of scenarios that the firefighters may face.
According to Engineer Tim Ortegel, the annual water rescue training began on Monday when the A-Shift, the first of three, conducted an exercise featuring a simulated kayak tipping over in the Mokelumne River, with a victim caught in a “strainer,” the fire department’s term for an area of river blocked by a fallen tree or large log that could trap a person, but allow water to continue flowing.
Ortegel said that a team of two rescuers set up a rope system in order to reach the victim, allowing the training exercise to be completed without injuries.
Ortegel later said that the B-Shift repeated the exercise on Wednesday and that the C-Shift would conclude the water rescue training on June 27.
Neely Rodriguez of the East Bay Municipal Utilities District said that the department issued a notice and placed signs last week advising people not to swim in the Mokelumne River due to cold temperatures and fast currents. Rodriguez also said that the Camanche dam is currently releasing 2,000 cubic feet of water per second, a significant decrease from the 5,000 cubic feet per second they were releasing in April. Rodriguez also said that this is the longest amount of time that Camanche Reservoir has decreased output since its construction in 1964.
Lodi Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director Jeff Hood said that Lodi Lake has open access to the Mokelumne River, with weekly boat launchings on every Tuesday. Hood also stated that, while out on a boat with officers from the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Department, they discovered that the river conditions have changed drastically over the past five months. He advised boaters and kayakers to exercise extreme caution due to the large amount of trees and debris in the river, and strongly cautioned against the use of inflatable rafts or floating tubes. He also advised that only the most experienced of boaters and kayakers attempt to travel past the Highway 99 bridge, as the current becomes too fast and narrow for safety.
The San Joaquin County Parks and Recreation Department’s website keeps a list of all parks in the county, including those with river access. According to the website, Stillman Magee, Woodbridge Wilderness Area, Dos Reis and Mossdale parks have all closed their access to the Mokelumne River due to flooding and safety concerns, although Westgate Landing remains open.