Summer in the Snoqualmie Valley brings long-awaited afternoons in the sun and the water.
But folks who play on rivers and lakes should never forget that their favorite swimming hole can be a dangerous place.
Just ask North Bend resident Carla Orellana, who witnessed a near-tragedy on Sunday, July 11, at Rattlesnake Lake.
Orellana, locally known as a yoga teacher and belly dance instructor, was enjoying a day of exercise at the lake when she heard a young girl screaming for help. Eleven-year-old Tessa Hisel had swum across the lake, but the cold water and exertion exhausted her. Unable to come to land, Tessa was sputtering and trying to float on her back, in danger of drowning.
Luckily, Orellana was close enough with her kayak to rescue her, handing Tessa a life jacket and bring her to safety.
Orellana was told afterward that, given the time it takes for emergency swimmers to respond, firefighters usually expect to find a dead drowning victim, rather than a live person.
She stressed that, out on the water, swimmers are vulnerable — and farther from help than they realize.
“Recognize that you are on your own,” she said. “It’s important for everybody to be prepared and be on the lookout for each other.
“You have to be water conscious,” Orellana told me. “It doesn’t take long to get into trouble. You always have to have plans.”
According to Eastside Fire and Rescue, people can take several simple steps to stay safe on the water:
• Stay within designated swimming areas. Swimming beyond those areas in lakes and rivers is a factor in the drowning deaths of Washington teenagers and adults.
• Be cautious of sudden drop-offs. Because rivers are constantly moving, they can carve new channels, bring trees down into the river and create new drop-offs.
• Know how cold water is. Many rivers and lakes remain cold all summer, even if they are warm on the surface. It’s hard to swim in cold water, especially when one is tired. Hypothermia can set in quickly.
• Know your limits and your abilities; stop before you are too tired.
• Understand that weather and water conditions can change quickly. Check weather forecasts and be prepared for adverse conditions.
• Set limits with your children — when they can go in the water, where they can go, who needs to be there, and what they should have with them. Just because they’re with a group of friends does not mean they can rescue each other if someone gets into trouble.
• When possible, swim where lifeguards are present. Children who are in or near water must be supervised closely by a sober, attentive adult who knows how to rescue someone.
The good news is that Tessa’s story did not end in tragedy. But Sunday’s close call reminds us all to stop and think about our safety before diving in.
