River Danger High For Tubers, Two Rescue Calls in Leavenworth Friday

Leavenworth Fire District 3 , EMS and Sheriff's Deputies responded for two water rescue incidents late Friday in Leavenworth.

Deputy Fire Chief Dave Nalle said both situations involved people on innertubes who got into distress and called for help. Nalle cautioned the river is running very swiftly and people underestimate the danger from the rate of flow and temperature at this time of year "Particularly for inner tubers, the river is cold and running very fast and the outside ambient air temperature is a lot warmer so folks don't realize how quickly they can get hypothermic" Nalle noted the control over an innertube is not nearly the same as a raft or other watercraft so wearing a personal flotation device or life vest has made a difference in saving peoples lives.

Chelan County Fire District 3, Cascade Ambulance and Chelan County Sheriff's Deputies responded to the Barn Beach area of the Wenatchee River just before 5:30pm and in the same vicinity about 7:15pm Friday to a second report of inner tubers requiring rescue.

Deputy Chief Nalle said first responders typically see numerous water rescue calls involving people using inner tubes on the river during the first few weeks of July until levels subside enough to allow tubers to stand up.