Cape FD warns of dangers of swimming in river after photo gallery stirs outcry

A Cape Girardeau fire department veteran echoed a sentiment strongly expressed on social media in recent days: swimming in the Mississippi River is not safe.

A Southeast Missourian photo gallery posted Tuesday night of children swimming at Cape Girardeau's riverfront park area sparked a strong response about the dangers of swimming in the river. The parents were in close proximity of the children.

Concern over the potential danger was expressed in comments, messages and emails from outraged readers. The gallery was viewed nearly 10,000 times in 48 hours, the most viewed gallery this year. Some believed the gallery as an endorsement of the activity.

Cape Girardeau Fire Department battalion chief Brad Dillow said he discourages the public from entering the Mississippi River's waters.

Although not illegal to swim in the river, Dillow cited multiple reasons against river swimming ranging from the river floor's ever-changing depths to the constant underwater flow of debris and chemical runoff. Of all the dangers, none pose a greater threat than the Mississippi's current.

"Generally right out here in front of the riverfront, there's a very strong undercurrent," Dillow said. "You might get out there and be standing in knee- to hip-level water and the current underneath be so strong it could knock you off your feet."

Once that happens, Dillow said it's not unlikely for a swimmer to be carried downstream which greatly increases the difficulty for emergency personnel to make a water rescue.

There are no signs along the riverfront park warning people not to swim.

Army Corps of Engineers park ranger Mike Kean also warned swimmers of the immediate dangers posed by the river's current in a 2016 interview with WQAD-8. He said the Mississippi is safe to swim and fish in, as long as people are cautious.

Kean told the television station that swimmers should keep their mouths shut to limit the possibility of developing flu-like symptoms if water is accidentally swallowed.

"It's safe. In every river you're going to have a little bit of pollution and the Mississippi is no different," Kean said. But the current, he said, is a swimmer's biggest risk.

According to the State of the River Report, a study in conjunction with the Friends of the Mississippi River and the National Park Service, it is recommended that swimming or other recreational contact be limited in impaired sections of the river.

The report also recommends swimming be avoided everywhere in the river within 48 hours of a rainstorm, including storms upstream, when runoff flushes many pollutants into the river. Showering after swimming in the river and wearing a life vest are recommended.

Despite the dangers, there are documented instances of river swimmers like Fred Rawlins, a local doctor who used to swim the river once a year, all the way up to the age of 83.

Others have swum the entire river to bring awareness to certain causes.

Also frequently documented, however, are tragic mishaps on the Mississippi. Newspaper archives show many instances of drowning deaths on the river, though that is also true on other waterways such as the Current River, known for its swimming holes and floating trips.

To avoid any chance of a tragic accident in the future, Dillow urged riverfront visitors to play it safe and stay out of the river.

"I know back when I was a kid around Grand Tower, there were some sandy areas that a person could get out there, but I highly recommend against it," Dillow said. "The current is so strong, you just don't know."

bmatthews@semissourian.com

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