Keeping it Safe at Centennial Park in Twin Falls is a Challenge
There’s a lot of confusion and frustration at Twin Falls Centennial Park. Most of the visitors are now from out of the area and a very large percentage from out of state, according to the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office. One day this week several vehicles were towed from trailer parking simply to allow deputies to get a boat in the water for a rescue call.
Friday and Saturday, the Sheriff’s Office will be working jointly with Idaho State Parks to educate the visiting public.
Additionally, many of the people out on the water don’t know what all the safety requirements are. For instance, do you have a whistle? Are your life jackets worn properly? If you’re storing them on your boat can you get to the jackets quickly during an emergency? Do you have all the proper inspections?
Friday and Saturday, the Sheriff’s Office will be working jointly with Idaho State Parks to educate the visiting public. If you drop by the park, you’ll see them and you can get some questions answered. Drownings have become a much more common occurrence near the park as the Snake River has become a travel destination.
And the crowds are only going to increase. I came across this link last week. Twin Falls is now considered a must stop for many people exploring the Mountain West. They praise the Perrine Bridge and Shoshone Falls and have done so for years. Now more and more travel writers are mentioning Centennial Park.
Tourism is good if you own a hotel and/or restaurant. And if you sell supplies for water sports. Just keep in mind there are rules and these are in place for two reasons. To ensure everybody gets a fair shake at time on the water and with a goal that everyone goes home safely.