With flooding in the area, county officials are warning residents to be careful in waterways, including Rockford Beach on the Big River at 4320 Hwy. W in House Springs.
Jefferson County Sheriff Office spokesman Grant Bissell said two people were caught in the current on Rockford Beach on May 22. One of them, a female, was swimming there and had some problems with the current, and a male witnessed her struggling and went in the water to help.
However, he got caught in the strong current, too, but eventually, both ended up making it safely to shore.
He said deputies and Byrnes Mill Police officers were dispatched there, but the two had made it out on their own.
“Everything was over before any first responder got there,” Bissell said.
High Ridge Fire Protection District also responded to the scene.
Since 2013, High Ridge Fire has responded to seven water rescues and one watercraft rescue at Rockford Beach, said Ron Tisius, the district’s fire marshal.
He said one of the main problems at Rockford Beach is people are unable to judge the current just by looking at the water
“The water always looks, even if its normal flow, like it's calm, but you have currents underwater as well and you have regular currents flowing through there,” Tisius said.
On its website, the Jefferson County Parks and Recreation Department warns people not to swim or wade in the water at Rockford Beach, which is a county park.
The beach does not have lifeguards, the website says.
Tisius recommends non-swimmers and children avoid the water at Rockford Beach.
“Water is constantly changing, and they need to stay about 10 feet away from the riverside,” he said.
Tisius recommends life jackets for those who do go in the water at Rockford Beach.
“It’s not advised to be playing around any area where the dam is at,” he said. “Rockford is a nice area to go to, but I think people take the water for granted.”
For those who end up in a fast-moving current, Tisius said they should float on their backs and point their feet up and downstream.
“The biggest thing is to try and keep your feet pointed downstream,” he said. “Try not to fight against it as much.”
Tisius said people need to stay calm, not fight and work to drift ashore.