Another sweltering, humid summer day. The water in rivers running through New England looks inviting splashing against rocks, winding around bends, ebbing and flowing as the hot sun glistens on it and calls out to come cool off. Don’t be fooled, looks are deceiving. A quick dip in the river could be deadly, especially if you don’t know how to swim.
There are many hidden dangers in rivers and most of them may lead to drowning. Which has been an all too prevalent outcome in Western Massachusetts. Remember during a flood, all it takes is 6inches of water to sweep an average size adult of their feet. River currents above ground and underground that pass below many of our local quarries can pose the same risks.
In general more drowning deaths occur in the summer months. In the United States approximately 4,000 deaths due to drowning occur yearly and over 8,000 near-drownings. The latest Massachusetts data show 57 deaths in 2022 and 86 near-drownings.
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