A fun day at the river or lake can suddenly turn tragic. In Lake Tahoe, the temperature can be sweltering. But on a typical June day, the water can be as much as 30 degrees colder than the air.
These extremes can quickly turn deadly, said Ashley Zeme of the Nevada Department of Wild Life.
“There's three phases to cold water shock,” she said. “One happens in the first minute, … and that's your body reacting to the shock of the cold water, and it's like if you were to get in a shower, turn the water on, and it was freezing cold, your body's natural reaction is to gasp.”
This often leads to inhaling water. If you remain in the water, after about 10 minutes, you start to lose use of your arms and legs, leaving you unable to swim. But, cold water shock isn’t only an issue at Lake Tahoe.
Steven Figone,with the Reno Fire Department’s Water Entry Team, said they often respond to emergencies at the Truckee River. The primary way to prevent tragedies is wearing a life jacket, he said.
“It buys rescuers time to get there,” he said. “It buys the swimmer in distress time by keeping their airway above the water, and it just gives them those precious seconds that they can hopefully swim to shore or alert somebody that they need help.”
Both Zeme and Figone said being prepared is key.
This includes checking the weather and having proper emergency gear, such as life jackets.
Figone said that if you find yourself in an unsafe situation in the river, keep your feet up and pointed downstream. And swim defensively, avoiding rocks or other debris in the river.
If you see someone struggling in the water for any reason, call 911. Avoid getting into a situation when you’d also need help.
Zeme said wearing a life jacket, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and having a plan will help make sure everyone goes home safely.
