PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The fire department at Cannon Beach has increased its presence as soaring temperatures make people flock to the coast.
They told KOIN 6 they have had multiple calls Friday and anticipate they’ll see an increase because of all the visitors in town over the weekend.
They want to remind people the water is dangerously cold – roughly 47 degrees when they checked earlier in the day.
Jason Smith of Cannon Beach Fire Department said that having so many people in town can strain their resources.
“When we start getting high populations of people coming to the coast, coming to Cannon Beach, it does stretch us thin…the entire Oregon coast is made up of volunteer departments,” he said.
They say a lot of their water rescues are tourists and want to remind people that the Oregon coast is known for rip currents – especially near iconic Haystack Rock.
“They’re notorious for bringing people into them and have resulted in fatalities,” he said.
To avoid rip currents, he says stay where the waves are breaking or “play in the white water.” But if you’re caught in one, he said to stay calm and swim parallel to the shore.
Smith also said it’s also important to keep a close eye on children and never turn your back to the ocean.
“Be alert, be alert of the wave conditions and what the tide is doing,” he said.