TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - Experts say quarries can be more dangerous than other bodies of water, and the two drowning incidents in two different quarries yesterday shine a light on those risks.
The first thing people need to be aware of is that swimming at a private quarry can be extremely unsafe. Quarries are bodies of water that are naturally more difficult to swim in because of their temperature and depth.
Police say swimming at one that does not have lifeguards present can be fatal.
"People don't understand that in a swimming pool you can swim from one wall to the next wall, but the problem is, you can't do that in a quarry," said Jeff Rice.
Quarries are one way people are cooling off in this heat, but many do not realize that quarries can be more dangerous than other bodies of water.
"The waters colder, you can cramp up easier, you'll have problems with swimming from distance because you can't touch the bottom," Rice said.
"Quarries are more difficult because they are deep often times right from the edge. You immediately go in deep water. There are some that they've built beaches onto them, but generally speaking quarries have a drop off and it's a very very deep drop off immediately," said Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn.
The Wood County Sheriff says there is a right way and a wrong way when it comes to swimming at quarries.
"Ideally, if you could go to a quarry that has lifeguards there on duty watching, that would certainly make it a lot safer. There are quarries where you swim at your own risk, and certainly at time like this where you have a weak swimmer, it can be fatal," Wasylyshyn said.
The Portage Quarry in Bowling Green has at least 3 to 4 lifeguards on duty every single day, and everyone on staff is equipped with a radio to easily communicate what they see at all times. The owner says they have inexperienced swimmers on a daily basis who need help out of the water.
"We had one guy who had swam to a raft and was afraid to come back, he couldn't make it, so my lifeguards went and got him," Rice said.
The Wood County Sheriff also stresses safety first, and says a few simple rules could saves lives: do not drink alcohol, swim with others, and if you are not a strong swimmer, stay away from quarries.
