PORT JERVIS – This weekend, Memorial Day weekend, marks the unofficial start of the summer season complete with vacations and recreational activities.
In Port Jervis on Wednesday, Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler and a host of law enforcement officials recommended practicing safety during the hot weather season.
He noted that 70 percent of emergency room visits in Orange County are preventable and he provided a number of do’s and don’ts:
- Don’t drink or boat and drive
- When hiking and biking, bring your cellphone, tell people where you are going, and wear a helmet
- Wear a life jacket when taking to the water
National Park Service ranger Ingrid Peterec is responsible for the Upper Delaware River which runs from Hancock, through Sullivan County and into Orange County.
She warned that most accidents and fatalities on the river occur when people go swimming, not boating. The currents can sweep a person away, she said.
To protect swimmers experiencing trouble, the county is providing all police agencies with special safety equipment that can be tossed to the individual while a rescuer holds onto a rope on the other end to pull them to shore.
Port Jervis City Police Chief William Worden urged teen driver safety, particularly during prom and graduation season.
The event was the brainchild of Tom Kennedy of Dana Distributors and Hoovler.
