Windsor First Responders Urge Residents to Consider River Conditions

Thursday May 24, Windsor Severance Fire Rescue was called to a report of an overturned canoe with a person in the river on the Cache la Poudre River east of Colorado Boulevard in Windsor. Windsor Police and Windsor Severance Fire Rescue personnel located two canoers on the shore and began working to get them removed from the area where they were evaluated by UCHealth Emergency Medical Services.

“This has been an active weekend for water rescues along the Poudre and we can’t urge people enough to know their limits,” said WSFR Fire Chief Kris Kazian. “They need to know the depth, know the speed, and know the obstacles that are downstream from them. Most importantly, no matter how experienced you feel you are in water, everyone should wear a life vest when recreating on our rivers and lakes. We are grateful this rescue had a good outcome and everyone is safe.”

The canoe was not in Windsor’s newly-designated Eastman River Experience area, but even so, with Spring runoff, recent rains, and a river that is flowing high and fast, conditions along the entire length of the river are dangerous. This incident, along with other incidents upstream, has prompted Windsor first responders to better educate residents about the risks that might come with floating on the river.

To help educate residents, WSFR has worked with Windsor Police to create information to help the public navigate recreating on the river.

More information about local river safety can be found at https://www.recreationliveshere.com/riversafety.