Northwest Montana Sees Rise in Drownings – Flathead Beacon

In response to an uptick in statewide drownings this summer, officials say local resources are being strained while many tragedies would have likely been prevented if the victims were wearing life jackets.

Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Game (FWP) Warden Captain Nathan Reiner said at a press conference held at Foys Lake in Kalispell on Aug. 15 that there have been eight statewide drownings this summer, six of which were watercraft-related.

“We’re seeing a lot of calls for service in the last couple of days – we probably had three or four incidents where search and rescue, deputies and Fish, Wildlife and Parks have had to respond,” Heino said.

In Flathead County, rescuers on July 29 recovered the body of 63-year-old Randy Gilpin in the Hungry Horse Reservoir near Wounded Buck. Officials also continue to search for 33-year-old Emily Rea, who went missing in the reservoir on July 16 while she was solo paddleboarding.

Search and rescue crews in late June recovered the body of a 40-year-old Idaho woman who drowned while kayaking on the Kootenai River in Lincoln County and divers on July 3 recovered the body of a Missoula man who drowned at the southern end of Flathead Lake.

In Glacier National Park, the body of a 26-year-old visitor was found in Avalanche Creek while a 28-year-old visitor drowned in Lake McDonald.

None of the victims were wearing life jackets.   

To help prevent drownings, Reiner encourages the public to utilize the FWP life jacket loaner program, which are available in kiosks at state fishing access sites, state parks and at the regional office on North Meridian Road in Kalispell.

“We have a lot of life jackets that are cooler and more comfortable – that’s the biggest thing,” Reiner said. “We’re seeing a lot of non-motorized boats and standup paddleboarders where people do not have life jackets on.”

Heino attributes the high call volume to a rise in water sport popularity as the state’s population continues to grow along with a lack of safety knowledge among users. An unusually cool spring and early summer this year also contributes to the high call volume, which caused some waterways to hover around 50 degrees.

On the main stem of the Flathead River, Heino says river users frequently get hung up on strainers, which are woody debris that can trap victims underwater and cause drownings.

“We’ve seen a lot of people on the main channel of the Flathead River in inner tubes or low-quality watercrafts and they don’t have the ability to navigate … there are places to do this, but the main channel is not one of them. We’ve got deep water and logs and a lot of hazards,” Heino said.

Crews have responded to multiple nonfatal water incidents this summer, including the rescue of a 42-year-old male and a 12-year-old girl who were trapped on a log on the Flathead River after their kayak flipped.

As the summer winds down, officials encourage the public to wear life jackets on the water and to carry extra safety gear like throw bags to prevent tragedies.

“[We] are out there to assist you, but it is taxing on our resources,” Heino said.  

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