First responders from multiple agencies have been staging at the water's edge in case a water rescue is needed along dangerous spots in the Rio Grande River, fire officials told KOAT.
“What we're saying is follow the rules, (and) if you're not experienced, maybe go to a swimming pool,” Corrales Fire Chief Anthony Martinez said. “This river is very dangerous. And if you're not experienced, you could get caught up in debris, and you could die."
Water levels are higher than they’ve been in recent memory, fire officials say, due to heavy snow melt and a wet monsoon season that has filled the state’s lakes and rivers. While the scenery is spectacular, the rivers can be unpredictable. There’s also a ton of debris left from the wildfires that devastated the state last year, burning more than 300,000 acres.
KOAT reported that it observed Sandoval Fire Rescue officers in Bernalillo stop a couple from jumping into the water without life jackets. Bernalillo Fire Department airboats were also seen patrolling the Rio Grande looking for anyone in danger or acting recklessly.
"Life vests are the law. Again, they are required and they save lives," Martinez said in an interview recorded by KOAT.
Martinez said his department had performed 29 water rescues heading into the Memorial Day weekend, more than they had at that time last year. The increase in rescues is a reason first responders decided to increase their presence along the river. "We figure if we're going get called out here anyways, we might as well be staged here, try to inform the public, try to prevent. That's our job," Martinez said.
"I think that's pretty good that they're doing that,” Victor Parea, a water enthusiast, told KOAT. “I see them on their boat, doing their rounds. And I think it's very important.”
First responders patrolling the river said the stretch from Siphon Beach in Corrales toward Alameda is especially dangerous, especially for those inexperienced with difficult water.
"I think people should be aware that the water is very swift, and they do need a life jacket on or not going in this river,” Carol Schwartz told KOAT. “I wouldn't go in that river without a life jacket because I can't swim."