Man, three kids rescued from area river
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. -- A man and three children were rescued from near disaster on Tuesday, after the inner tubes they were floating on overturned.
At about 5:00 p.m., the 911 center got a call about a male adult and three kids who were dumped off their inner tubes while floating the river near Swiftwater Park.
Officials say Derek Dring, 31, of Roseburg, was floating the river above Whistlers Park with three children.
The Sheriff's office says Dring had the children’s inner tubes tied to his, and the tubes overturned, throwing the kids into the swift water.
One 4-year-old was stranded on a rock near the incident, while the other two children, ages 7 and 9, floated down river.
Dring swam down river after the children and was able to get them to rocks in the middle of the river.
Officials say Brad Eaton, 19, of Winston, saw it happen, and swam out to the rock to stay with the 4-year-old.
Douglas County Fire District #2 Swift Water Rescue Team was able to reach everyone who was stranded and get them to shore safely with the use of a raft.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office indicated that all the children were wearing life jackets.
No injuries were reported.
Glide Fire, Douglas County Fire District #2, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and BLM responded to the incident.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind everyone to check their life jacket for proper fit:
Adults - “The Touchdown Test”
• With the jacket on, raise your arms as though signaling a touchdown.
• Look to the left and then to the right, making sure the jacket doesn’t hit the chin.
Children - The 3 Inch Rule
• With the child standing normally, arms at sides, grab the shoulders of the life jacket and lift up.
• If you can move the life jacket more than three inches up (or above the ears), it doesn’t fit properly. How high the jacket rides is how it will fit them in the water.
• Straps should be snug.
Remember, wear and fit are key.
Sorry the kids wore life jackets. And tied to an adult, who is excellent swimmer. Obviously. But I didn't call 911 nor do I think they should have. Everyone was 100% fine and always were. Media blows it out proportion. And I did get permission.
 @Derek Dring they had to call 911 (i was the one who called) there were little kids stranded on rocks who couldnt and shouldnt swim through the rapids so the only way to get them was through marine patrol and you have to call 911 for that.
But dumb enough to tie them together so that if one goes down they ALL go down!
Good man! He was smart enough to put life jackets on his kids!
 @Masha04 i have to agree that is not a good man...a good man wouldnt have taken such young kids especially that werent his down swift water, those kids should have never been put in a situation were that could have happened when it could have easily been avoided
@Masha04 that is not a good man those are not his kids and has no right to take children who r so young down rapeds like that he should be put in jail