First Assistant Fire Chief Donald Dowd and Captain Peter Coffey were operating the fire department’s jet sled ”Beau” in the area of the Varick Street Hydro-Electric Plant when Captain Coffey, the operator of the boat, while transversing the river, struck a steel pole sideswiping off that pole forcing him to strike a second pole.
As has been done over the last several years, the pulling of pulling water chestnuts from the Battle Island area of the Oswego River was started this past weekend. This year, neighbors of Battle Island and members of the Oswego County Environmental Management Council participated in the pull.
Two groups did litter cleanups on the Oswego River this past week. The cleanups were scheduled earlier in the season, but the earlier high water had prevented that from happening.
On Tuesday night, city officials took the next step toward making the Oswego River a safer place for fishermen. They hope to have Brookfield Power, operator of the Varick Dam, help pay the costs of whatever solution is implemented, the mayor said.
A meeting was held Wednesday night to follow up on suggestions made last month to improve safety along the Oswego River. “What we’d like to do is come up with four or five good suggestions and work with Brookfield to see which ones are the best and who’s going to pay for anything that needs to be improved,” the mayor explained.
Several dozen fishermen participate in a meeting to find ways to make fishing in the Oswego River safer and prevent mishaps like the one last week that has claimed the lives of two anglers. Local and state authorities will now review all the information and a second public meeting is being planned to update the community.
Mayor Randolph Bateman has announced that a meeting will be held on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the EconoLodge to enable the community to discuss ways to improve fishing safety on the Oswego River.
The operator of the Varick Hydroelectric Station in Oswego has launched an investigation into the water release that preceded four fishermen being swept down the Oswego River. One of the men has died and another is in critical condition in Oswego Hospital. The city is also conducting an investigation.
BREAKING NEWS: The investigation continues regarding the timeframe in which the rising water alerts were given and when the water actually began to rise.
UPDATED: – – One of the victims has died.
Four people were rescued after being swept away by fast-moving high water in the Oswego River earlier this afternoon. Two of the victims were pulled out of the water near the Bridge Street Bridge. The other two were rescued behind the former Coleman’s restaurant.
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