Firefighters in London say they've seen an increase in water rescues from the Thames River this year, with officials responding to almost 10 distress calls in the first three months of 2026.
As the weather gets warmer and water levels rise with melting snow, the fire department is reminding Londoners to take extra caution when they're around the Thames River's water banks.
"The water's cold and is moving pretty fast. The banks and the river's edge are very slippery, so we're trying to encourage people to avoid those areas if they can because it doesn't take much to slip and end up in the water," said London Fire's Captain Richard Degrandpre.
On Thursday, crews were conducting search and rescue drills in the river near Wonderland Road North and Riverside Drive
Fire crews typically respond to approximately 16 water rescues a year, but as of March 2026, they've already had nine calls, Degrandpre said.
"We're kind of a quarter of the way through the year, but we're already halfway through our average number of rescues already this year," he said.
It's been a busy few days for water rescues across Ontario. On Sunday, provincial police rescued 23 people from a drifting ice shelf on Georgian Bay. That same day, fire crews in London found two boys stranded on a small island in the river near Highbury Avenue and Fanshawe Park Road.
The following day on Monday, officials rescued a man in distress by the riverbank near Richmond Street, south of Grey Street.
Although there were no fatalities or severe injuries in either rescue, the distress calls do put pressure on the number of resources dispatched to these emergency calls.
"With close to 10 incidents this year, it is a drain on our resources and it's a risk, not only to the community but all the firefighters that respond to that," Deputy Chief Gary Bridge said.
What to do if someone slips into the river?
Bridge and Degrandepre offered a number of safety tips for people if they or someone they know ends up in distress in the water.
They urge people to call 911 immediately and emergency crews will be on the scene within minutes. It's also important to keep an eye on someone who is stranded in the water and identify where they were last seen, so rescue teams can better narrow their search.
"The first arriving pump will be here within four minutes and then the water team will arrive shortly after that. We'll get our boats in the water and then we'll start trying to locate the patient," said Degrandpre.
It's important for pet owners to keep their dogs on a leash when walking them, said Degrandpre, adding that many water accidents happen when owners try to chase their dogs and slip along the water banks.
"If you're the person [who] slips into the water, what you should do is ideally put your feet up toward the direction you're going," said Bridge. "It's a very rocky river so this is to avoid any rocks and swim the best you can on a diagonal to the shoreline."
Both officials say the best way to stay safe is to avoid getting close to the river this time of year.