Canoeing, kayaking and rafting are popular sports in Maryland; the state's forests and parks offer rivers and streams with paddling opportunities for sportsmen all skill levels. No matter what your skill level, however, you should follow important safety precautions.
"Many deaths on rivers and streams occur because sportsmen are unaware of the hazards of moving water, and because they don't have the proper self-survival and self-rescue skills," said Capt. Robert Murray Sr., who oversees the county's Advanced Tactical Rescue Team, which specializes in complex rescue situations.
Rescue experts advise:
Always wear a personal flotation device.
Always receive formal training on the vessel you intend to use, and in the environment in which you intend to use it.
Always tell someone of your plans for going out on the water for the day.
If you are swept away in moving water and the water is deeper than your knees, do not try to stand up. You should swim for shore immediately and aggressively.
The county has a substantial array of resources for dealing with swiftwater rescues. Swiftwater teams include the Advanced Tactical Rescue Team located at Texas Station #17, and teams from Kingsville and Arbutus volunteer fire companies. The Middle River Volunteer Rescue Company has a Dive Rescue Team, and the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Company has a Marine Emergency Team used for open water rescues on the Chesapeake Bay, lakes and reservoirs.
The Police Department's aviation unit can assist with overhead search including the use of heat-sensing equipment. Several area search organizations provide trained dogs for ground and water searches.
Revised February 9, 2007
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