‘Not the place to jump in’: Fresno Fire shares the dangers of water canals

FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – The Fresno canals span over 700 miles throughout the city, most parts 10 feet deep.

While it seems calm from above, some currents can run up to 10 mph.

As temperatures soar this week, many unhoused individuals seek relief in the canals.

“That is not the place to jump in, the water is super dangerous, there’s very little chance of survival,” said Fresno Fire Training Capt. Shane Brown.

The Fresno City Fire Department has received nearly 30 canal rescue calls this year alone.

“A lot of the people that are experiencing that are suffering from mental health, drug and alcohol abuse and anything like that is going to greatly increase the chance that you have no survivability in a swift water environment,” Capt. Brown said.

The water is also colder than people think.

“As the hypothermia, the overexertion, the panic all sort of combined together, a person quickly gets overwhelmed,” said Brown.

To ensure they are in tip-top shape, the department’s water team trains every eight weeks or 72 hours of training a year.

“Our goal is always to be on scene in four minutes or less,” Brown said.

Fresno Fire Captain and coordinator of the water rescue team, James Perkins, says even the gear they use is top-notch.

“We’re one of the only maybe two in the entire nation that use what we call ‘surface-supplied dive.’”

This device allows them to have an endless supply of air, communication with the people on top, and an anchor point so they don’t get swept away.

“Our lines here, this one is about is 200 feet long, so we can go 200 feet that’s going down and out,” said Jamen Elliot, Lead Dive Instructor and Firefighter at the Fresno Fire Department.

When needing help in these situations, Fresno Fire asks the public to call 911 with an accurate location and description of the victim.

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