Woman rescued from Des Moines River by construction worker (WHO)
Related links
Pictures of 67-year-old Patricia Ralph-Neely being rescued by a construction worker from the churning water just below the center street dam are unforgettable. Rescue crews were unable to reach her 62-year-old husband, Alan in time.
"They're referred to as drowning machines," said DNR recreational safety officer Allen Crouse, "Even with a life jacket."
Crouse knows how dangerous a low head dam can be.
"I would have to say it was one of the most terrifying things I've ever been up against," said Crouse.
Des Moines parks and recreation director Don Tripp says no one should have been where couple ended up.
"We're marked at 1,100 feet and when you see those signs they're there for a reason; that you're now entering an area with eminent danger," said Tripp.
From the shore, warning signs clearly indicate what's ahead; inside a boat, they're not as easy to see.
"It's so small," said a boater near the first set of warning signs, "You can't even read it."
Alan Neely was known as one of the regulars at the Birdland marina just upstream from the dam and likely knew of the dangers and safety precautions downstream.
"Typically there's a cable stretched across the water a couple inches several hundred yards away and that's your line, once you cross that there's no turning back," said Crouse.
The center street dam does have an emergency cable; it's about a hundred yards north of the dam. The sign itself is not visible from the water, as for the cable, it doesn't look like it's been in use for quite some time.
"It was actually knocked down in the floods of 2008 but we did not put it back up because its got to be down for this construction and it will stay down until such time the construction is completed and it will go back up again," said Tripp.
No one will ever know if the cable would have made a difference in yesterday's tragic accident but the best advice DNR, city and veteran boaters can give it to simply stay away.
"They're referred to as drowning machines," said DNR recreational safety officer Allen Crouse, "Even with a life jacket."
Crouse knows how dangerous a low head dam can be.
"I would have to say it was one of the most terrifying things I've ever been up against," said Crouse.
Des Moines parks and recreation director Don Tripp says no one should have been where couple ended up.
"We're marked at 1,100 feet and when you see those signs they're there for a reason; that you're now entering an area with eminent danger," said Tripp.
From the shore, warning signs clearly indicate what's ahead; inside a boat, they're not as easy to see.
"It's so small," said a boater near the first set of warning signs, "You can't even read it."
Alan Neely was known as one of the regulars at the Birdland marina just upstream from the dam and likely knew of the dangers and safety precautions downstream.
"Typically there's a cable stretched across the water a couple inches several hundred yards away and that's your line, once you cross that there's no turning back," said Crouse.
The center street dam does have an emergency cable; it's about a hundred yards north of the dam. The sign itself is not visible from the water, as for the cable, it doesn't look like it's been in use for quite some time.
"It was actually knocked down in the floods of 2008 but we did not put it back up because its got to be down for this construction and it will stay down until such time the construction is completed and it will go back up again," said Tripp.
No one will ever know if the cable would have made a difference in yesterday's tragic accident but the best advice DNR, city and veteran boaters can give it to simply stay away.
