This thread shows a total lack of respect for law enforcement
Posted on 06/14/2010 6:33:54 AM PDT by bjorn14
Clear Creek sheriff's deputies on Thursday arrested a rafting guide for swimming to a stranded young rafter who had tumbled from his boat on Clear Creek.
Ryan Daniel Snodgrass, a 28-year-old guide with Arkansas Valley Adventures rafting company, was charged with "obstructing government operations," said Clear Creek Sheriff Don Krueger.
"He was told not to go in the water, and he jumped in and swam over to the victim and jeopardized the rescue operation," said Krueger, noting that his office was deciding whether to file similar charges against another guide who was at the scene just downstream of Kermitts Roadhouse on U.S. 6.
Duke Bradford, owner of Arkansas Valley Adventures, said Snodgrass did the right thing by contacting the 13-year-old Texas girl immediately and not waiting for the county's search and rescue team to assemble ropes, rafts and rescuers.
"When you have someone in sight who has taken a long swim, you need to make contact immediately," said Bradford, a 15-year rafting guide and ski patroller from Summit County. "This is just silly. Ryan Snodgrass acted entirely appropriately. These guys came to the scene late and there was a rescue in progress. They came in and took over an existing rescue. To leave a patient on the side of a river while you get your gear out of the car and set up a rescue system you read about in a book is simply not good policy."
Snodgrass' raft flipped on the runoff-swelled Clear Creek around noon Thursday and the girl swam from the raft. Krueger said the girl was missing for 30 to 45 minutes while Snodgrass searched for her. He said she swam a half mile from the spot where the raft capsized.
Since it had been so long, Krueger said, it was no longer the rafting company's rescue.
"They should involve themselves up to a point. They lost contact. Whether they want to say they were trying to rescue their customer, when they had lost visual contact and had no idea where their customer has been for 30 to 45 minutes, then it becomes our issue."
Bradford said he would expect his guides to do the same thing again. His guides are professionals, he said, trained and certified in swiftwater rescue.
"To jump into water and navigate a river in a swiftwater rescue is common. You get into the river and swim. You have to do it," Branford said. "The fact these guys don't understand that is disturbing. Making contact immediately with your victim is essential. It's not about who is in charge. It's about the safety of a 13-year-old girl. You are going to do everything in your power to insure the safety of your guest, and if that means in Idaho Springs you get arrested, well I guess we'll just get arrested."
Daughter was rafting on the Arkansas River this past weekend. They were told the water was 50 degrees.
Hopefully the girl had a wet suit but the guide is a hero.
The parents ought to make a very big public stink about the ‘rules’ baloney.
It's a shame we live in a culture where one is dammed if they do and dammed if they don't. We live in a culture where we have to second guess ourselves to think out a hypothetical scenario before we take any action.
I hope the girl’s parents sues the County for “hindering a hero while performing above and beyond the call of duty”.
The fire captain's offense? He touched a policeman on the chest.
The guide is 100% correct in his actions. The sheriff is an idiot.
I have personally assisted in hundreds of "river rescues". When you are a river guide, swimming in rapids and performing rescues are what you do. It's like the sheriff telling Ray Lewis not to make a tackle on a football field because it is "too dangerous" and he could get hurt. Well, duh.
OFGS. Who ARE these people??
Make you think South Park is a documentary.
This thread shows a total lack of respect for law enforcement
Let me guess who’s the best swimmer. The cops are just upset that they didn’t get the press release that they wanted.
That's right Dep'ty Dawg--
Punish the courageous...
Beat back any initiative in the heart of the brave...
Heaven forbid we should reward... or even take note of everyday heroes....
Inmates.... asylum.... asylum... inmates...
What is wrong with this picture????
Only unionized government employees are qualified to do anything, ever. Your job is to be obedient and hand over what ever portion of your wages they want.
Agreed entirely. My father was a volunteer firefighter as well. As you indicated, the training is important and I do believe training will kick in when needed most of the time. In a training exercise, my father and another fireman were accidentally (truly) left on the second floor of a burning house in zero visibility when the third man on the hose left with the hose. All three of them got an unplanned opportunity to use their training that day.
His guides are professionals, he said, trained and certified in swiftwater rescue.
This sounds exactly like what Obama says and does in response to emergencies. His indecisiveness is spreading down and giving locals cover for their own cowardice and inaction.
bump
“
I don’t know the legalities, or the rules of conduct, but arresting this
guide seems petty and vindictive. Especially since it was a successful attempt.
Is the sheriff peeved he didn’t get the credit?
“
Probably sees future increases in funding going out the window.
Which may now be a certainty by the sheriff making a very public
jack-@$$ of himself.
Even if the guide did disobey the sheriff’s directive.
Screw the law enforcement, some of these jokers has about enough sense mess up a good egg. I would rather go to jail to save that girls, than to see the “law enforcement” dilly dally around to hunt for the right knot to tie, and which manual to use, or to see if the “guidelines” meet the local, state, or federal criteria.
More like typical government that cares only about power.
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