Category Archives: safety

Bike Trail, Rafting, safety

Sacramento County Parks To Use Volunteer Rangers

Sacramento County will use volunteer park rangers in an effort to put more law enforcement officers on patrol.

The auxiliary ranger program will bolster a force that has been reduced from 25 to 14 rangers. Currently, people on the popular American River Parkway and Dry Creek Parkway are hard pressed to seen a ranger on duty.

“It’s not like it used to be. Three or four years ago you’d see a lot more of them out here,” said cyclist Rod Stoy.

“I have a real issue with that,” said hiker Andrew Mortimer, of the budget cuts that reduced the number of Park Rangers in the county. He’s upset because he sees people on the parkway that make people feel unsafe.

“The fact that this is built for people to enjoy recreational activities and they don’t even feel safe to be out,” said Mortimer.

The county is currently doing extensive background checks for the first six auxiliary rangers who must have police academy training under their belt. They will also get the training that full time paid rangers undergo. Rangers say with the current staffing, they spend the bulk of their time responding to calls rather than doing preventive and proactive policing on the parkway.

More at Fox40.com >>>

Rafting, safety, Water

Heart attack may have killed rafter on North Fork American River run

A Rohnert Park man has died while whitewater rafting on the North Fork of the American River near Colfax and authorities are looking into the possibility of a fatal heart attack.

The man was identified by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office as Stan Decker, 59, of Rohnert Park. Decker died Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

The Associated Press initially reported that Decker drowned after apparently trying to help two rafters who were struggling with some fast-moving rapids.

But State Parks Supervising Ranger Scott Liske of the Auburn State Recreation Area said Monday that an ashen-faced Decker was reported by onlookers to have collapsed while standing in ankle-deep water after a particularly frenetic ride both in and out of the churning whitewater.

Decker was part of a commercial rafting trip by Auburn’s Whitewater Excitement outfitters that left from the Mineral Bar put-in near the Iowa Hill Bridge at 12:15 p.m. Saturday, Liske said.

At least two boats and a kayaking outrider set out and the boat Decker was in ended up pitching four occupants out at Slaughter’s Sluice, about half a mile downstream, Liske said.

Decker was one of the rafters who wemt in after the craft hit something in the water. He and another occupant were able to get back into the inflatable rubber raft and try to help pull the other two – a man and a woman – back in, Liske said.

More at AuburnJournal.com >>>

Rafting, safety, Water

Man Dies Rafting on American River

A 59-year-old man died early Saturday afternoon after rafting near the North Fork of the American River near Colfax, known as Chamberlain Falls.

Officials are waiting for the coroner to determine if it’s an apparent drowning. They have not identified the man, although they say he is with the rafting company there.

According to Cal Fire, they received a 911 call with reports of CPR in progress along the river bank near the Mineral Bar campgrounds. Responders tried to get to the scene by foot, but couldn’t and had to get to the man by helicopter.

More at Fox40.com >>>

Rafting, safety, Water

Rivers Running Cold and Fast This Time of Year

Rafter and wader beware – as of Sunday the water in the American River is running a full 12 degrees colder than it is during the dog days of summer.

“Right now the water is 53 degrees. Normally in the summertime, it’s about 65,” says Battalion Chief Chris Siler of Sacramento Metro Fire.

It’s not an exaggeration; miles from the actual point of snow melt, the American River is running cold and very fast – 3940 cubic feet per second – in Rancho Cordova.

More at Fox40.com >>>

Bike Trail, safety, Water, Wildlife

Sacramento gets grant to improve park

Sacramento has received a $5,000 cash grant from national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful Inc. as part of a nationwide effort sponsored by Waste Management that encourages local solutions to improving community environments.

Waste Management representatives applied for the grant earlier this year.

The “Think Green” grant will be used to buy and install a Waste Management solar-powered compactor at Sutter’s Landing Park.

“The grant reflects on the renewal mission of the park, converting a former landfill into a beautiful urban park along side the Central City portion of the American River,” says Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Cohn.

More at CentralValleyBusinesstimes.com >>>

Events, safety, Water, Wildlife

Saturday demonstrations highlighting climate change planned for Sacramento region

Activists plan to stage two demonstrations on Saturday to highlight the potential for climate change to increase flood risk in the Sacramento region.

In Sacramento, participants are being asked to meet on the Guy West Bridge over the American River near Sacramento State University at 10 a.m. Saturday and wear blue-colored swim, snorkeling or dive gear. In Davis, organizers plan to converge with umbrellas on the levee overlooking the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, alongside Interstate 80, at 9 a.m.

More at SacBee.com >>>