A woman and her dog were swept a short distance down the Marys River in Philomath Friday afternoon but both were able to escape the strong current and walk away from the incident unharmed, Philomath Fire and Rescue reported.
Emergency personnel were dispatched to Marys River Park and Natural Area at 3:10 p.m. May 10 with a report of a woman who had gotten into the water to try to retrieve her dog, which had jumped in and was swept down the river.
“Fortunately, the woman and the dog ended up on the other side of the river adjacent to Gathering Together Farm,” Philomath Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief and Public Information Officer Rich Saalsaa said.
Chief Chancy Ferguson established contact with the woman from the Marys River Park side of the river while Saalsaa assumed operational command on the Gathering Together Farm side where crews were able to cut through bushes and blackberries to reach the woman and her dog.
“Other than mosquito bites and scratches from the blackberry bushes, the woman was uninjured and was safely escorted back with her dog to the park to retrieve her vehicle,” Saalsaa said.
The incident serves as a reminder about the dangers of the Marys River in late spring, especially when high temperatures start attracting folks to the water.
“We caution people who want to head to the river to be extremely careful as the water temperature is still in the 40s and the river is moving very swiftly and can carry you away quickly,” Saalsaa said.
Philomath Fire and Rescue advises people visiting the river to travel in a group or let people know where they will be in case something happens.
“Keep animals on a leash and if an animal accidentally falls into the swift water, do not attempt to retrieve it,” Saalsaa said. “They are much more adept at getting to shore and handle the water better than us adults.”
In addition, people should always wear a floatation device when at the river and have plenty of water and sunscreen on hand “as it is very easy to get dehydrated and sunburned, particularly now after many months of rainy and cooler weather.”
