Visitors may notice something new the next time they visit the Colorado River. This month the City of Yuma installed new mile marker signs along the riverbank, intended to help visitors identify their location and assist with emergency response.
Last summer, Councilmember Carol Smith approached City leaders and asked what could be done to enhance the community’s water safety and drowning prevention efforts. “As a nurse, I know that every second counts,” said Smith. “My role as a councilmember and a healthcare professional has allowed me to work with others who aim to keep our community safe, and these markers are evidence of the great work being done.”
Numbered zero through 8, the markers range from the Cocopah boat ramp on the west to the confluence of the Colorado and Gila rivers on the east, each separated by approximately one mile as the river flows. Recreational users are asked to note the marker nearest them while on the river, should they need to report an emergency.
“Emergencies at the river require a complex response, so citizens being able to quickly and precisely identify their location greatly helps the Yuma Fire Department (YFD),” said Fire Capt. David Padilla Jr. “These signs represent a collaborative effort in Yuma to improve outcomes in water-related emergencies.”
Deputy City Administrator Jennifer Reichelt shared, “individuals from Parks and Recreation, Fire, Police, Public Works, Communications, Administration, and the Council came together to not only identify a need, but to develop a creative solution and implement it. This project is a testament to staff’s hard work and creativity, and our desire to help keep our community safe.”
Over the past few months, staff from Parks and Recreation and YFD worked to identify the appropriate location for each of the new river mile markers. Once the sites were finalized, the actual physical locations (GPS coordinates) were provided to the Yuma Police Department and added to the region’s emergency management response system, which oversees the directing, coordinating, and management of all emergency calls for service.
Designed, fabricated, and installed by City staff, these mile markers complement the new yellow river warning signs the City installed along publicly accessible riverfront areas last summer. The warning signs remind visitors of the river’s natural dangers including an uneven bottom, strong currents, changing water conditions, and debris. The warning signs and the new mile markers represent the first phase of a developing water safety campaign.
According to Reichelt, “the initial conversation around river safety opened the door to a larger one around general water safety and from that the Greater Yuma Water Safety Alliance was formed. This collaborative initiative brings together a diverse group of community organizations who have combined forces to leverage their individual and collective expertise to raise awareness around the importance of water safety and reduce the number of drownings in the Yuma community.”
The alliance will be introducing a comprehensive community wide water safety campaign this spring.
END
