Comments to Consider As Summer Comes Around and Adventures Call...With focus on river outings or finding alternatives for allowing people to access rivers and waterfalls

There will be discussion about what a power company, First Light, will do or not do in terms of monitoring or regulating how many people access the Housatonic River in Salisbury CT as the weather warms. Many people have been finding the idea of sitting along the river bank, maybe even in the river, a passtime they tell their friends about. Some seek to sit in the whitewater or small falls as though a water park, but that can prove dangerous so ideally people would stick to water parks for those kinds of adventures.

Looking at the river and hiking along a safe path if one is made and clearly marked would be reasonable although many ecosystems are not large so overcrowding can happen easily. Finding some solutions so more people can know what to expect or find more suitable ways to enjoy the area or nature (even at other locations) would make sense.

With more planning, other areas could perhaps network and provide mini day camp type experiences for families with ways to teach about nature, do crafts and have simple performances and even spray some hoses for people to cool down.

Figuring out how to make fundraisers or cover liability insurance would be important. Perhaps groups could be booked in advance so plans to use local schools or faith groups would make sense. But with COVID...that may mean waiting another year or so. Just thinking out loud and appreciating where we are in this journey of sharing our one earth.

The passing of Kaelan Palmer Paton on 6/16/09 involved about 9 teens going from HVRHS to the Falls, many with permission and some without even after I had asked at least one parent  to agree to safety standards. I had spoken to the principal a few days prior asking that our son be monitored due to other matters.

Many parents and students knew of the plan for the youths to go to the Falls which many realized were running high that day. When we know better, which all should take time to do now if not clear about monitoring youth, we can do better with voluntary agreements and everyone's cooperation.

There are Girl Scout and Boy Scout manuals for planning outings and also The Red Cross for Water Safety and Rescue training. It helps to learn about an area and not be game to just 'go for it' when it comes to jumping in a river or off a bridge into a river for swimming etc, even though many people have done it safely or come through it without too many injuries.

There are plenty who are hurt even permanently. I know two people who were paralyzed from diving or jumping (one at the Falls and another I met who lives in the area.I share that to ask more people to think of caring for others who are challenged in their mobility and have high care needs. If more youth and adults realize the gift of movement and enjoying life, the need to color outside of the lines may not be so alluring even with contact sports or pushing physical limits.

Being clear about playing the game of life as a team player for the long haul can take on a new kind of cool and worthwhile achievement. Hopefully that would also involve using fewer or no substances to alter moods or deal with social tensions and relationship difficulties or other concerns about managing finances and life. 

Ideally parents would have been advised to be with their teens if they were leaving the school on bikes, on foot or even going to another person's home during the transitional days and last days of school which are known to be higher fatality days among students nationally.

 Responsible adults who follow speed limits and do not have too many minors in one car is a safer strategy to help keep youth safe on the roads and get them to reasonable outings and destinations. The idea is to work with other parts of the community to create more safety standards and awareness of skills needed around water, hiking or being in groups and planning outings.

The request to have two responsible adults at the river with youths at a safe part of the river for swimming or boating was not kept even though repeated twice and agreed to by  one parent with clarity. Another parent called others to warn them against going, but no one called the school to inform them or put out a call to the fire department or other designated patrol or intervention groups.

 As minors, they should have had permission from all parents (especially if parents were divorced or living apart or in any form of conflict.) Without clear recommendations for safety and accountability and to avoid needing a rescue and endangering volunteers, many opportunities to prevent harm are missed.

 It is the town's responsibility to post 'No Swimming or Jumping" signs where that is not allowed as well as dangerous undercurrents can develop (with special info about the edge of the river, back currents and undertows. Ideas to help people realize there are ads but that the area is not handicapped accessible  on the Salisbury side and that Dublin Rd does not allow for access to the Falls even though GPS and other info may indicate that is the case. Better signage for people to be aware of these issues is important.

 I share more ideas for safety and planning with voluntary guidelines and agreements on Livfully.org. I can be reached at cppaton@yahoo.com. Alternative places for families and adults to picnic and enjoy the area would be ideal to develop whether with local schools and supervised gatherings at certain times. If parking were available, vans could give people a chance to travel up near the falls for a hike on a path  that could be well marked and benches put in at a safe distance away from the river banks to prevent accidents. 

More volunteers could be available to assist people with a safer tour experience. Last year I took video of people who crossed a flowing river just below the dam with children. That could have been deemed a risk of injury to minors (about two or three kids.) People were holding on to one another to cross back out of the river and it was very concerning. While I asked the police to attend to the situation, they said they would but an hour later said they  would not since it was legal and there was nothing they could do.

 They said if there were a safety concern the fire department should have been called, not them. So making it clear who to call for help and having some safety equipment in place (or  having people bring their own and alert them that not all people can be saved if the conditions are too dangerous and rocks or other factors may claim someone's life, so best to not be in the water, or to wear life vests if being near the water etc.

I welcome people sending healing and positive vibes to the tri-corner MA/NY CT area for safety and ways to acknowledge hard won lessons... forgiveness is key to moving on and helping others realize their area may be more similar to others, even if much larger or not as much nature. Finding solutions can be shared endeavor.

Honoring those who have journeyed on by living responsibly and offering more ways to help others live with respect makes sense and can make a real difference. Thanks for all everyone does along these lines. Meanwhile other posts speak to many other aspects of our commuities and times.  Stay strong and clear in the mission for living courageously and compassionately with a sense of a teamwork and shared success each season of life and whether at home, on the roads or out and about.