Harrisburg firefighters to re-position buoys in Susquehanna River

HARRISBURG, PA — Warning buoys installed three months ago above the Dock Street Dam have shifted, with the current taking them past the dam.

This means parts of the river become improperly marked.

City firefighters are scheduled to reposition the buoys Monday, after a busy Father’s Day weekend where some might be enjoying the river.

The Susquehanna River, a peaceful destination for kayakers.

“There is no greater danger here than the Dock Street Dam," said Steve Oliphant with Susquehanna Outfitters.

Oliphant rents kayaks out at Susquehanna Outfitters, about a mile north of the dam.

He’s not surprised to hear the new buoys were swept downstream. They were installed three months ago.

“This river, the force of the Susquehanna is tremendous I think it’s a valiant effort by safety crews to put those buoys in," Oliphant said.

Harrisburg River Rescue says so far this boating season call volume has been fairly low.

High water levels keeping boaters at bay.

“People are putting their boats in the docks are starting to fill up so we’re gonna start seeing a little bit more," said Tony Reigle, assistant chief of Harrisburg River Rescue.

Reigle didn’t comment on the buoys, but said the dam is a hazard.

“Just coming at it from upstream you’ll never see that it’s there it doesn’t matter what the water conditions are it’ll almost be invisible to see coming down at it so that’s something where you need to know where that is," Reigle said.

Reigle says the key is being educated about the water way. Knowing what could be a problem in high and low water.

“It’s knowing the area and knowing how the area changes with the weather as well it’s the biggest thing more and more calls that we find it’s people saying I didn’t know," Reigle said.

Oliphant believes signs and buoys aren’t enough. Too many people have been killed at the dam.

“Even in your backyard swimming pool, you can’t just put signs up danger swimming pool ahead this is a mile long proven killer," Oliphant said.

The city spent $20,000 on the buoys that are equipped with LED lights.

Firefighters will reposition the buoys on Monday. They installed the buoys back in April.