Deb Hann – Senior Constable
Hello all, this week I have been asked to raise the issue of water safety.
Last weekend, a member of the public got themselves into a sticky situation below the Karāpiro dam. An inflatable tube was seen by a passerby pinned against a building in the river. The people they were witnessing had become caught in the currents from the dam discharging water and been pinned into a building that belongs to the dam in the river. They were calling for help.
Another person from their group with a second inflatable craft, paddled out to them to attempt a rescue with a rope – unfortunately the rope snapped and both inflatables and their occupants then became trapped. No one involved was wearing a life jacket.
Police were eventually contacted via a call to an off duty member rather than a call to 111. Police Search and Rescue (SAR) members deployed to attain an observation point and used Camjet, our local jet boat company to assist. The dam controller was also contacted and asked to reduce the flow of water spilling from the dam. SAR deployed with Camjet and officers positioned themselves at the top and bottom of the dam providing updates. As all units reached the scene, a third inflatable from the group reached the trapped parties and facilitated a rescue. All members of the public involved were extremely lucky to come out of this incident unscathed.
Key lessons from this experience are to respect the water activities exclusion zones around the dam. They are there for a reason as it is a dynamic and dangerous environment. Secondly, life jackets are mandatory and launching a boat without wearing them puts all people on board at extreme risk.
We would like to acknowledge and thank Aaron from Camjet for his willingness to launch and assist our staff.
Still on the topic of water safety, we have had some very hot temperatures in the past week. This has not surprisingly led many people to seek out swimming spots. The Waikato river has some strong currents, eddies and submerged obstacles that make it a risky option. As mentioned above, depending on dam releases, the water level can also change without warning. It is not recommended to swim at the boat ramp on Dominion Ave.
Cambridge swimming pools are close by and for a freshwater experience, Waipuke park, Lake Karāpiro is a good option. Keep cool this summer, but please be safe in the water.
Lake Karapiro
