Child escapes drowning in creek

A toddler narrowly escaped drowning in Whychus Creek last weekend, during a summer in which drownings have been tragically frequent.

According to Sisters Fire Department reports, a 26-month-old boy and his family were along Whychus Creek in Sisters last weekend when the child wandered away for a moment. When the parents next saw him, he was floating down the creek.

They caught up with him about 100 yards downstream where he was face down in the creek in some debris. According to fire department reports, they pulled him from the stream, gave him CPR and revived him. He was alert when they arrived at the fire hall, but because of the cold water, his body temperature already had dropped five degrees, Sisters Fire Marshal Dave Wheeler said.

“That clearly shows the dangers of hypothermia in our cold mountain waters,” he said.

Many Central Oregon residents and visitors seek relief from high temperatures by rafting, boating and swimming in the area’s rivers and lakes. However, lack of knowledge and ignoring safety rules can be deadly.

“From my experience, most drownings occur within 15 feet of the shore and are the result of a person not knowing how to swim or not wearing a flotation device,” said Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Marshal Dave Wheeler.

Locally, a woman drowned on the Deschutes River on Sunday near the Colorado Street bridge and an Oregon City girl drowned in a rafting mishap on the river near Maupin.

Drownings are a statewide problem this summer. Two drownings in Western Oregon on July 4 brought the total deaths there to 13 in 12 days and a total of 15 for the summer in the Portland-Vancouver area.

Many opportunities exist around Sisters for water recreation. Scout Lake is a popular swimming area west of Sisters as is nearby Suttle Lake, popular for both swimming and boating. North of Sisters, Lake Billy Chinook is visited by many each year to enjoy boating, swimming and operating houseboats on the lake, an activity that can pose an additional threat to families. Many nearby mountain lakes offer relief for hikers, but their cold water can challenge a swimmer. Swimming pools at private homes and public locations are also popular as the summer heat builds.

Sisters area lakes have claimed lives in the past, but there have been no recent drownings.

Oregon experienced 119 drownings in 2004-05. While a common perception is that more young people drown, about 77 percent of the fatalities were males with an average age of 36. However, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths to children ages 14 and under.

Child drowning can happen in a matter of seconds, often with no splashing to warn of trouble. Children can drown in small quantities of water and are at risk in their own homes from wading pools, bathtubs, buckets, diaper pails, and toilets as well as swimming pools, spas and hot tubs.

In 10 states, including Oregon, drowning surpasses all other causes of death to children ages 14 and under. Two-thirds of all drownings happen between May and August and 40 percent occur on Saturdays and Sundays.

Understanding the risk is the first step that water safety experts recommend. For lakes and streams, they suggest knowing the waters you are enjoying, including fast water and hidden hazards. Wear flotation devices and travel with an expert until you know what you are facing. Know how to swim and take CPR lessons to aid others. Don’t take to the water alone and let others know your plans.

With swimming pools, provide constant supervision of young children and locate safety fences or covers for the pools.