Cooper Landing Emergency Services was presented with a grant for $4,500 to purchase water rescue equipment from the Seward Community Foundation, an affiliate of The Alaska Community Foundation. This past summer, Cooper Landing Emergency Services was dispatched to 12 water rescue calls along the Kenai River and on Kenai Lake and assisted a total of 20 people during their water emergencies. These calls accounted for 17% of CLES dispatches from (6/3-8/30.)
During the busy summer season, thousands of people visit the Cooper Landing area to recreate on various nearby lakes and rivers. A variety of emergencies can occur from overturned kayaks and drift boats with several people floating downriver to adventurous swimmers who underestimate the hypothermic response and swim too far.
Without the proper equipment to respond rapidly to these situations, responders must track down and borrow equipment from neighbors and friends. With the new equipment purchased using the Seward Community Foundation grant funds, rescuers can respond more quickly to patients, decrease future water related fatalities and injuries, and keep responders safe as well.
CLES also anticipates using this gear in the winter, in situations where someone has fallen through the ice along the riverbank. Minutes matter in these responses and having reliable equipment on hand will decrease response times and increase the probability of a successful water extraction.
As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, CLES relies primarily on donations and grants for funding. Without this grant from the Seward Community Foundation and The Alaska Community Foundation, CLES would not be able to respond to these fast-moving scenarios as quickly and efficiently.
In a press release, CLES stated, “This thoughtful gift will surely reduce injuries, reduce response time, and possibly even save lives for many years to come.”
CLES extends gratitude to the Seward Community Foundation and the Alaska Community Fund for their generous support.