GOLDEN, Colo. — As people flock to Colorado's rivers and creeks, firefighters gear up for rescues and searches.
On Sunday, a young man died while tubing in Clear Creek in the Golden area. The following day, Clear Creek was once again full of people riding the rapids on kayaks and tubes.
"Yesterday we had three rescues or attempted rescues. There's been one today," said Alicia Welch, Chief of the Golden Fire Department.
Welch said Golden Fire made 14 swift-water rescues from Clear Creek so far this summer. Last year, the department made five rescues, and in 2017, there were 25 rescue calls.
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"It’s difficult for me to see the frequency of people going into Clear Creek and getting hurt," said Alicia Welch, chief of the Golden Fire Department. "We're trying to do better at keeping people safe in Golden, and we’re going to keep going until we get there.
Welch expects to surpass the number of rescues from 2017 by the end of this summer. Those calls can tie up fire departments for several hours.
What frustrates a fire chief most is seeing people unprepared for the fast-moving water.
"Many people who come in don’t have the proper equipment in terms of the tube they’re using, no flotation device, no helmet, and others don’t even know how to swim," Welch said.
Welch recalled seeing a tuber enter the water with a baby in a sling strapped to his chest.
"This water is unforgiving. It’s not a swimming pool. It’s not a pond. It’s a rapidly moving river," Welch said.
Clear Creek was closed to tubers and swimmers for the beginning of July. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office ultimately makes the decision on whether to restrict use of the creek.
A spokeswoman for the sheriff's office said restrictions are considered if water reaches a speed of 1,200 cubic feet per second (cfs). Restrictions are lifted once the current slows to 800 cfs.
On Monday afternoon, Clear Creek was running at about 560 cfs, though it was still fast enough to knock tubers off their tubes.
There were also plenty of people using inflatable tubes not suited for the speed of Clear Creek and the hazards hiding under the surface.
"You need to know how to swim. You need to know how to read the water. You need to have the proper equipment," Welch said.
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