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After river incidents, Silver Lake police to get inflatable vests and buoy bags; training planned
Summary
Chief Steve Justice reported recent river rescues — including an officer’s fall and a prior drowning — prompting the purchase of automatic‑inflation life vests for cruisers and buoy bags; the Silver Lake Police Association funded the equipment and Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department will provide water‑safety training.
Silver Lake’s police department will receive inflatable life vests and buoy bags for water rescue after recent incidents on the river, Police Chief Steve Justice told council.
Chief Justice recounted a June 21 river fatality and a separate incident in which five people clung to a tree while an officer responding to the scene fell from a steep incline into the water. He said the events raised concerns about both public safety and officer safety when responding to the village’s waterways.
To address the risk, the department ordered automatic‑inflation life preservers for each cruiser and seven buoy bags for water rescues; the Silver Lake Police Association provided funding for the equipment, Mayor Dunphy said. Chief Justice added the Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department will run a short water‑safety course for Silver Lake officers, and the Service Department is exploring improved access points and signage along the riverbank to help locate people in distress.
The council heard the equipment purchase and training plan as an administrative update; no vote was required. Mayor Dunphy and Chief Justice asked the public to be aware of water conditions and noted the village is evaluating additional safety signage and access improvements.
