U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers 'Horrified' By Photos Showing Man, Children Fishing On Lock And Dam
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MADISON TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say they're "horrified" by photos that show a man and several children walking on the Allegheny Lock and Dam 9 in Armstrong County just feet from rushing water.
They would have had to pass warning buoys to get to the spot.
"They were walking across that apron and fishing on that apron. They actually drove their boat up to that apron. That's a very dangerous situation. We were, quite frankly, horrified and dismayed when we saw that," Jeff Hawk of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said.
Apparently, they went there hoping to catch some fish.
"No fish, I don't care how big, is worth your life," Hawk said. "So we try to encourage people -- first of all, don't be on our property without our permission, and second, don't place you and your children in danger. There's so many things you can do to keep yourself safe."
Like many of the Locks and Dams around the area, Lock and Dam 9 is unmanned, so if something would have happened, no one would have been there to help.
"There's nobody out there to pick you out of the water, and guess what? You shouldn't be relying on anybody else to be out there to pick you out of the water. You shold be taking care of yourslef and taking care of your small children," Hawk said.
The Army Corps of Engineers is asking the public for help identifying the man in the photos so they can speak to him.
In the meantime, they remind boaters to take safe boating classes, always wear a life jacket and pay attention to buoys and markers when you're on the river.
