Fresno County Sheriff's office begins patrolling Kings River

REEDLEY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The sheriff's deputies are putting their jet skis in the water of the Kings River at Reedley Beach for the first time this season and for one good reason.

"We are just going to be out, making sure the public stays safe this weekend," Sheriff's Deputy Eric Unruh.

Deputies are keeping an eye on boaters, floaters, anyone like Jasmine Laguna, who's brave enough to get in the chilly water.

"Right now we are just enjoying the nice day here," said Laguna.

GENE: "So, how's the water?"

LAGUNA: "It's cold but it feels good."

The last drowning here occurred two years ago, but Unruh says river rescues are a regular part of the deputies job.

"That's a big issue, they go into strainers which are basically where the current will go into trees or whatnot they will get caught in there, and we will end up rescuing them out of there."

Deputy Unruh says the most important things is to respect the river.

"Be aware of where the current is going it doesn't look like it's very strong right now, but it actually is, it's about 4 thousand cubic feet per second coming out of Pine Flat Dam. "

While things were calm near Reedley Beach, a few miles upriver near Centerville, a 15-year-old girl slipped into the rapids on Highway 180 and Rio Vista. She was swept about 20 yards downstream but managed to grab onto a tree limb in the water. Rescue crews and a CHP helicopter responded, but she was safely removed from the water and appeared unhurt.