A message from Teton County Search & Rescue:
JACKSON, Wyo. — July Fourth makes Teton County Search & Rescue (TCSAR) volunteers nervous for a reason.
Since 2017, TCSAR volunteers have responded to 49 water-related incidents. Five of those have been on July Fourth. Three of the five incidents on the Fourth were fatalities. None of the victims were wearing a life jacket.
There’s nothing more tragic than a fatality that feels preventable.
The data shows us trends we have to pay attention to: People see the river as a place to have fun before they see it as an environment that’s actively trying to kill them.
TCSAR’s prevention efforts will inevitably miss some people, but for the past three years, we’ve been trying our best to spread safety awareness for our rivers and lakes.
As a community, we all need to strive for a culture of accountability on the water. This doesn’t mean not having fun. It means building a community of ambassadors who know what to look out for and how to take action when something is trending from irresponsible to dangerous. By always wearing a life jacket, it shows your friends and children how to enjoy the river and lakes safely.
We want to see people equipped with the gear and skills to be part of the solution, not the problem.
If you need support, call or text 911 with details and coordinates as soon as an incident exceeds the scope of your abilities to respond (which is FAST).
TCSAR is here for you.
This summer, #justwearit.
