Missing Tuber Found

[Chris Santee]

STATE OF VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
VERMONT STATE POLICE PRESS RELEASE

INCIDENT: Missing Person 
CASE #: 12D201845
TROOPER: Valcourt    STATION: Brattleboro       
CONTACT#: 802-254-2382

DATE/TIME:  07/03/2012 9:30 pm
LOCATION (specific): Coolidge Highway, Guilford

SUMMARY OF INCIDENT:
On July 3, 2012 at approximately 9:30 pm, the Vermont State Police received a report of a missing female in Newfane.  The caller reported that he had dropped off his wife near the Townshend town line, to go tubing on the West River in Newfane at approximately 3:30 pm.  The complainant and his wife had planned to meet downstream at the junction of the Rock and West Rivers in Dummerston, approximately 5 miles from the wife’s starting point. 

The wife was reported to have been tubing alone and without a Personal Flotation Device (PFD).

The Newbrook Fire Department was summoned to assist in locating the missing tuber.  Prior launching search efforts to find the missing woman, she was located and had made contact with her husband. 

The Vermont State Police would like to remind individuals that summertime actives, such as tubing, can fun so long as some common sense rules are followed.

When tubing:
Travel in a group when you go tubing. There's safety in numbers. If you get hurt or lost, you don't want to be left completely alone in the wilderness.

Tie your inner tubes together while traveling down river. Rapid currents can spin inner tubes in different directions, making it hard to stay united as a group. Bungee cords can also be used to bind inner tubes into a traveling caravan.
 
Wear a life jacket at all times while you're in the water. Even though the river water might be shallow, it can still be dangerous. Currents beneath the surface can move quickly, making it difficult to recover and return to the surface for air when you fall in the water.
 
Follow any posted rules pertaining to pollution and contamination. Many of our nation's most scenic rivers have been contaminated by industrial waste, making the water unsafe to drink. Even small amounts of contaminated water can create health problems.
 
Hire a guide to lead your group on a tubing adventure. Pick someone who knows the area well. Follow all of the safety practices outlined by your guide.
 
Arrange for someone to meet you at the end of your tubing trip so you can catch a ride back to your entry point. Set a time and specific location.
 
Pack plenty of sunscreen for the day. Pick a waterproof brand with a high SPF rating. You'll probably be on the water for several hours, so you'll need to reapply sunscreen throughout the day.
 
Learn CPR practices. Many community organizations offer to teach the basics of CPR free. It's always a good idea for at least one person in a tubing group to know how to perform CPR.
 
Check the weather forecast before embarking on a tubing trip. Rainstorms can be dangerous when you're stranded on the river, as water levels can rise and currents can quicken in a matter of minutes. Lightning storms can be even more dangerous.
 
Drink alcohol in moderation if at all. You must maintain your senses to navigate a waterway. Don't drink at all if you’re tubing over whitewater.