Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue is reminding the public about water dangers in the Truckee River and elsewhere. This comes despite recent warm weather and lower water levels following a mild winter.
"Looks can be deceiving. Just because the water level's a little lower this year, it doesn't mean the water is any warmer or any safer," said Ben Kleinbach, a firefighter with Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue. "You still need to treat it with a level of respect and understand there's a lot of power in that river right now. And it can be very dangerous."
Kleinbach said they typically perform 2 to 3 rescues a year in the Truckee River, and about the same in Washoe Lake. He's a part of the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District Water Entry Team, or W.E.T. for short. He'd like to see that number drop down to zero.