Saskatoon Fire Department stresses river safety during heat wave

After an incident involving a “party island” last weekend, the Saskatoon Fire Department wants to remind people about safe ways to beat the heat.

“We want you to have fun and enjoy the river, the parts of it that are safe,” Deputy Chief Rob Hogan said.

But while having fun around the water, Hogan urged the public to remain cautious and take precautions for safety. The river can be dangerous to anyone, Hogan said, regardless of their level of experience.

Hogan said the “party island” incident involved a group of people on a large inflatable on the river near the Poplar Bluffs Conservation Area.

The rules of the water require oars or some sort of power source on a vessel, as well as a thrown rescue device, lifejackets and a whistle, none of which Hogan believes were present on the inflatable island over the weekend.

To date, the fire department has received 29 water emergency calls this year, which is about on par with last year according to City of Saskatoon media relations manager Mark Rogstad. There were 53 such calls in 2021, and 44 the year before.

How fire crews respond to water rescue situations, especially outside the city, depends on what else is happening within city limits. Hogan said the fire department’s water rescue team is robust and practises regularly, but it takes time and resources to get to an emergency on the river.

The department will respond as far north on the South Saskatchewan River as Clarkboro Ferry, he said. To the south, it will go as far as Whitecap Dakota First Nation and the RM of Rudy.

Hogan said the heat impacts everyone differently, and while the river is a great way to stay cool, it’s important to know the rules. Swimming in the river is prohibited within Saskatoon city limits, according to city bylaw 4433.

“We do ask individuals to use their own common sense and play to their strengths,” Hogan said. “You need to be cognizant and you need to ensure your own safety when you’re out there.”

Good planning includes having a way to contact emergency services, a charged cellphone, a personal flotation device, and making sure you’re playing within your limits, he said.

Hogan said the fire department does not give out fines or provide enforcement.

“That’s up to the police and the RCMP,” he said.

In cases where the city’s fire department has an agreement with a municipality, Hogan said the department will charge the municipality for a service. The municipality will then charge the individual responsible for incurring the cost.

Such a process takes place in the case where fire services must intervene with a controlled burn, for example. Hogan said the department hasn’t done so in the case of a water rescue, however.

Adding other resources like sonar or a dive operation can be taxing on the service, he said, especially during the summer months when staffing levels are low.

“It’s important to realize that we’re stretched, and if we do need to go out of the city, it is dependent on our resources in the city, and so it may be delayed,” he said.