With the summer weather heating up, hundreds of people are flocking to the waters to stay cool, but as YNN's Venise Toussaint tells us, there are some safety tips to take into consideration before dipping in.
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HUDSON VALLEY, N.Y. -- Ron and Ombretta Andruff traveled more than 100 miles from New York City up to Skinners Falls to take a dip into the Delaware River.
“I grew up by the river, so when it comes time to cool down for me, find the nearest river,” Ron Andruff said.
“We wanted to get out of the city because it was scorching hot,” Ombretta Andruff added.
They’re just two of hundreds who will make the trek, looking to beat the heat and keep cool this summer.
National Park Service Rangers are gearing up for a busy season and they’re urging swimmers to take safety precautions before dipping in.
“Whether you’re fishing, swimming, boating, no matter what you’re doing, wear that life jacket,” said Park Service Chief of Interpretation Loren Goering.
In addition to strapping on a life vest, rangers say swimmers should also stay hydrated and carry sunscreen.
Last year marked one of the deadliest years at the river with five deaths. Rangers say most people who drown aren’t wearing life vests when they become too fatigued to continue swimming.
“The river itself is very deceiving. A lot of people think it looks very calm and it’s just like a swimming pool ,but they don’t realize that there is a very strong current underneath the water,” said Ranger Timothy Oset.
“We pull hundreds of people out of this river every year. We help them get to shore because they’re not wearing a life jacket . If they had a life jacket on, they probably wouldn’t have been in any danger at all,” Goering added.
For people like the Andruff’s, being safe and wearing vests go without saying.
“We’re here to have a nice time, so putting on a life vest and keeping my head above water is not such a bad idea,” Ron Andruff said.
“it’s just a smart thing to do, mean it’s so much fun, why would you want to take a chance and risk something going wrong?” Ombretta Andruff added.