Alberta minister Loewen shares water rescue experience

Alberta’s Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen says two fisheries biologists saved the life of a young girl who fell into the Bow River as they were drifting by in a boat.“This was the first time I was ever on the Bow River in Calgary,” Loewen told the Western Standard in an interview on Wednesday.“We didn’t have luck fishing, but I guess we weren’t there to fish."Loewen says there were two ways that they could take on the river, noting that they decided to take the right fork, which is a smaller part and wasn’t busy at the time.“I saw a young girl playing in the shallow water. It soon became apparent she was in trouble as the water was knocking her down and carrying her downstream,” he said.That was when the boat operator, Paul, rowed over to help her, according to Loewen.Another person on board the boat, Shane, then jumped into the water, pulled the girl, and brought her back to shore, “as she was going under the water again in a deep, swift area,” according to Loewen.Once at the shore, the girl was able to walk. She was left in the care of her family, he added.Their boat took off shortly after they made sure the girl was safe. Loewen and the two fisheries biologists did not talk to the family. He estimates the age of the girl to be between eight and 10. Emergency crews were not called to the scene, according to Loewen.“I believe he saved her life, as no one else was in a position to help her,” he said of the July 2 incident..Loewen is reminding residents of the importance of being careful on the water, as natural water bodies can be unpredictable.The City of Calgary says residents are required to wear a lifejacket or a flotation device before hitting the water, noting that an infraction could result in a $500 fine.“Our city’s waterways are wild places that are seeing a growing number of preventable incidents,” Carol Henke, Calgary Fire Department Public Information Officer, says on the city’s website.Henke says water rescues last year saw a 31% increase over 2023. The biggest number of rescues take place in July, averaging 52 rescues that month since 2016, reads the city’s website.The number of fatalities in 2024 was four, which is above average. The average has been three deaths per year since 2016, according to the city’s website.The Calgary Fire Department is estimating a potential all-time peak in water rescues for 2025 based on trends in river use.

Alberta minister Loewen shares water rescue experience

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