When it rains, rivers, debris basins and flood control channels quickly fill-up with water moving at a high rate of speed, creating a potentially life-threatening situation for anyone caught in the flood control channel or getting swept away in the swift flowing current. Remember, never go inside the fenced area of a flood control channel or enter a flood control channel whether it is filled with water or dry, it is against the law. To protect the public and help reduce flood control, channel related accidents and deaths the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) offers the following flood control channel safety tips.

WHAT IF YOU FALL INTO THE WATER?

• Remain calm, do not waste your energy screaming or yelling for help after you have been located in the water.
  
• Get ready to be rescued, attempt to float on your back with your legs straight and your feet pointed downstream. Keep your head up so you can see where you are headed.

WHAT IF YOU SEE SOMEONE FALL INTO THE WATER?

• IMMEDIATELY contact 9-1-1 and advise the emergency operator someone fell into the flood control channel and is headed downstream and that the swift-water rescue teams need to respond.
  
• Do not jump into the water and attempt to rescue the victim, do not try to pull the victim out with your hands, rope or any similar device.
  
• Do not attach a rope or anything to yourself and then toss it to the victim in the water, by doing this you will be pulled in by the force of the current.

Commander Sharon Papa, of the LAPD Community Affairs Group states, "the residents of the City of Los Angeles can reduce serious injury and death related to river debris basin and flood control channel accidents by the adhering to the aforementioned safety tips."

The LAPD, Los Angeles Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works would like everyone who reads this circular to share the safety tips with their family and friends.

More of the following information can be found on the LAPD web site, www.lapdonline.org under the Building Safer Communities icon.

For further information contact Sergeant Mike Peterson, 213-485-3134.

This press release was prepared by Officer La Donna Cissell, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.