Pocono News Section

River Safety Lessons After Weekend Drownings

River Safety Lessons After Weekend Drownings - Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at 04:25AM EST

Reported by: Mike Trim
Tuesday June 01 2010

In wake of two river drownings over Memorial Day weekend, Eyewitness News talked safety with a Whitewater Rafting company in Jim Thorpe.

Doug Fogal, Pocono Whitewater rafting co-owner says you can never be too safe next to a river. "Where you jump in may be absolutely right but where you start winding up getting washed downstream, you might be absolutely wrong," said Fogal.

Fogal's company gives safety lessons before rafting groups head down the Lehigh River. After this weekend's deaths in Pike and Lycoming county the safety message is even stronger. One man in Lycoming County drowned after drinking heavily and not wearing a life jacket. Another man drowned trying to swim across the Delaware River in Pike County.

People on a Tuesday's raft trip run by Pocono Whitewater rafting strive for safety. One member on the trip, Steve Moskowitz of Long Island said, "Safety is always a factor. I think that whenever we take the kids out, especially, we're always concerned. safety is paramount."

Fogal says keeping your life jacket on and never diving into a river head first are the top two safety tips.