FAIRLAWN, Va. – A group of tubers on the New River in Pulaski County found themselves in need of rescuing over the weekend.
We talked to the captain of Pulaski County Emergency Services Special Operations team and he said high water and a strong current stranded the group out in the middle of the river.
He said conditions for the river can change rapidly, so it’s important to have your life jackets on and to make sure the weather is clear before you go out.
“It is continuous, powerful and relentless, even when it looks normal and benign,” said Drew McClaugherty. “You can get in a bad situation when the river is at a normal level and that danger factor goes up if you are not prepared when the rivers or creeks rise.”
He said in all of his rescues, he has never had someone who had a life jacket on drown.
For more information on river safety, you can find it here.