Though many paddlers will be trained, Martin said, others will not be prepared for the fast-moving currents, and he thinks it’s “going to get a lot of people in trouble. They’re going to kayak out of their experience, and that’s what we’re worried about.

“It’s going to be dangerous if we have to go in for a rescue or recovery. Anytime you put a volunteer in the water, you always have the chance of something happening,” Martin said. “And it’s going to be a financial burden on the department.”

Nancy Rigg, the executive director of Higgins and Langley Memorial and Education Fund, which focuses on swift-water rescue and recovery, said emergency responders have a 400-percent higher probability of being injured or killed during a swift-water rescue than while battling structure fires.

She suggests officials prepare a thorough response plan before any action is taken and wonders whether the local government could charge an access fee, for anyone who enters the water, to help fund any training and rescue efforts.

EXPERIENCE NEEDED

But avid paddlers say there should be personal accountability for everyone who ventures into the water and that there’s no type of governing body that oversees any open river.

“It’s not an uncommon concern, and I can see why people would want that, but that’s not how recreation is run in our country,” said Kevin Colburn, the national stewardship director for American Whitewater, which has strongly advocated for the river to be fully open from the dam to the mouth of Lake Champlain.

“There’s no governing safety body that tests what trails are safe to hike, what rivers are OK to float and what cliffs are safe to scale. If you do, you’re essential saying the river is safe for some people and not for others.

“People need to take care of themselves and never put themselves at undue risk.”

He said everyone who ventures into the rapids should have the proper training and equipment to ensure their safety during the trip.

“This is a Class 4 river, and it requires significant experience, skill level, appropriate equipment and a strong team to handle it,” Colburn said. “A member of the public shouldn’t paddle it before they get the proper experience and equipment.”

He said paddler safety is a big concern of everyone involved in the project. Educational material and signs at the top of the river will tell people “this is a very challenging river and is only appropriate for people of skill and with the necessary equipment.”

CORRECTING A WRONG