Death by drowning: What local victims have in common

As the summer draws to a close, residents may want to get in their last licks on local lakes, rivers and streams.

Before you take out a boat, kayak or canoe; climb aboard a paddleboard; or jump on a jet ski, keep safety in mind.

It has not been a safe summer on some local waters.

The upper portion of the Delaware River had one accidental drowning this season, said Ingrid Peterec, chief of interpretation at the National Park Service (NPS). She is responsible for the Upper Delaware River Scenic and Recreational Division.

That drowning occurred June 29. A few days later on July 7 another drowning occurred further north in the Shohola area. And just this past Monday, August 26, a drowning took place at the Bushkill Access area of the river.

Over at Greenwood Lake, a drowning was reported in July, and just last week, another drowning took place at Lake Sebago in Harriman State Park in New York. All of the victims were adult men.

In June, the body of a 79-year-old Roxbury man was recovered from Lake Hopatcong and an 18-year-old man from Randolph was found dead after disappearing while swimming with friends in Clinton Reservoir in West Milford.

Also in June, a teen was seriously injured by a boat propeller in Greenwood Lake, and an off-duty Vernon police officer came to his aid.

Peterec said there are between one and three drownings a year in that area on average. “Sometimes, we’re lucky when we don’t have any.”

Bernard Kotchkowski, chief fire marshal and assistant fire chief for Hopatcong Borough, said there were “no fatalities this year, (but) last year, we had two.”

Water rescues

Regarding water rescues, Peterec said, “It depends on what the situation is ... . Unfortunately, (these events) turn out be a recovery more than a rescue.”

During a recent drowning, the service was able to retrieve the victim’s body “very quick, which was great for getting families closure.”

Sometimes it takes weeks to recover a body, she said.

“We work with fire departments and dive teams. The Delaware Water Gap has a dive team in the park as well as some of the fire departments.”

The NPS in the Upper Delaware division does not work alone. Peterec said the rescue team “generally (consists of) two to three members of emergency teams ... . We (NPS) never do this alone ... . We rely on fire departments and dive teams for rescue - hopefully - or recovery; it’s always a team effort.”

“The No. 1 drowning activity on the (Delaware) River is swimming-related,” Peterec said. “(It) could be people on shore trying to swim ‘X’ river, people in boats trying to swim ... the river has swift currents and steep drop-offs.

“We’ve never had anyone drown when they’re wearing a safety device,” regardless of activity, she noted. “Make sure you have that life jacket on.”

Lake Hopatcong is bordered by Hopatcong in Sussex County and Jefferson, Mount Arlington and Roxbury, all in Morris County. All share responsibilities for rescues in Lake Hopatcong.

Jefferson has two fire department boats and a pontoon boat used in its rescue operations.

Kotchkowski said there’s a “dividing line” down Lake Hopatcong. When boaters or swimmers get into trouble, Jefferson usually goes out first to attempt rescues, followed by the other townships’ squads.

When necessary, the Morris County Dive Team will be called out.

The ambulance squad that serves Lake Hopatcong is “totally separate from the Fire Department,” Kotchkowski said, and all the emergency services members “do drills and (take training) courses.” Team members practice on the squad’s boat as part of their drills.

Occasionally, private citizens with boats may be called upon to assist, he added.

Profile of a victim

Based on NPS statistics from 1980, the typical drowning victim is male, between the ages of 18 of 30, and - more often than not - Hispanic or Black.

“Stats are very low for women,” Peterec said. “Males tend to underestimate the power of the river; women tend to be more cautious.”

Kotchkowski offered a similar profile based on his experience: Victims more often than not are male and are from South Asian communities.

Additionally, there is a greater danger for people who use “patio boats,” or pontoon boats, especially when there are “six, eight boats tied together ... a big party,” with people jumping from boat to boat.

Also, alcohol is absolutely a contributing factor to accidents, Kotchkowski said. Medical emergencies “are very rare.”

“We’ve had crashes on jet skis, too.”

He told of an unusual fatal accident involving a man using a weed harvester, where the boat capsized.

However, most incidents are caused by “carelessness, not knowing how to swim, not having a life jacket on, and ‘patio boats’ with just a railing around (the sides),” he said.

How to be safe

“Wear a properly fitted life jacket when you’re near or on the water,” Peterec said, adding, “People are very surprised how fast the water is” and how steep the drop-off is in the Upper Delaware.

“Don’t panic. Float on your back with your feet pointed downstream to kick away rocks. Paddle yourself to shore, and you’ll be OK.”

Kotchkowski advised, “Have some kind of boater safety course.” Also, learn how to swim and wear a life jacket.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary at Lake Hopatcong offers several boating safety courses during the year. Courses may be taken as a one-day class or on two evenings.

On successful completion of the course, participants receive a New Jersey State Boating Safety certificate.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary website states: “The Recreational Boating Safety Outreach (B) Directorate’s mission is to prevent loss of life, personal injury, property damage and adverse environmental impact associated with recreational boating through outreach to the recreational boating community. We envision a world with no boating-related accidents, property damage, injuries or deaths.”

The site offers resources for finding an examiner for boaters and paddlers, including vessel safety checks; finding boating safety classes; and making a float plan. It also offers safety forms and checklists; provides boating rules and regulations; and provides life jacket information and cold-water safety tips.

Among the safety tips while paddling:

• Always wear your life jacket.

• Don’t drink and paddle.

• Stay low.

• Keep your balance.

• Practice the wet exit.

• Dress for the weather, especially for cold-water conditions.

• Plan ahead - make a “float plan,” so friends and family know where you’ll be and when you’re expected back.

• Never paddle alone.

• Know how to be in command of your boat.

• Learn about your boat by taking a kayak or canoe safety class.

While swimming and paddling:

• Always wear your life jacket.

• Never swim alone.

• If you capsize, float on your back with your toes pointed down to kick away obstacles.

• Be aware of changing currents and obstacles in and overhanging the water.

Editor’s Note: The subjects interviewed were discussing their experiences managing and overseeing two local bodies of water: a specific portion of the Delaware River and its currents, and Lake Hopatcong. They were not discussing national data.