Passaic officials consider new river safety measures after drowning deaths of 2 children
Mayor Hector Lora said he is calling a meeting with city, county and state officials following last week’s drownings of Michael Klenk and Milian Dula near Dundee Island.
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The deaths of two 10-year-olds in the Passaic River are prompting Passaic officials to review safety along the waterway and consider new measures aimed at preventing future tragedies.
Mayor Hector Lora said he is calling a meeting with city, county and state officials following last week’s drownings of Michael Klenk and Milian Dula near Dundee Island.
“There may not be a single solution or any solution that would 100% prevent or discourage individuals from entering our natural bodies of water and ending up in dangerous situations,” Lora said. “But as government we have an obligation to work together and explore every option and consider every suggestion in order to come up with ideas and plans that may prevent tragedies like this from happening again.”
Among the ideas being discussed are additional warning signs, increased patrols, water safety education in schools, potential barriers where appropriate and additional life-saving equipment to assist during water emergencies.
Lora also revisited a proposal he made to state officials in 2020 after a young man died after going over the Market Street Bridge in Passaic.
The mayor said he proposed installing life rescue buoys at bridges and public waterways across New Jersey to give bystanders and first responders immediate access to life-saving equipment during water emergencies.
According to Lora, the proposal would have covered approximately 193 bridges that are at least 100 feet long and cross major waterways, as well as other public waterways throughout the state.
Lora said the state reviewed the proposal and estimated that rescue tubes would cost between $40 and $300 each. Excluding secure cabinets, the state estimated it would cost approximately $57,000 to place rescue tubes at all 193 bridges. The mayor said the overall cost would be higher once secure cabinets, installation and additional locations, including boat ramps, lakes and other public waterways, were factored in.
While the statewide proposal was not adopted, Lora said the City of Passaic moved forward on its own by placing rescue discs in every police vehicle, allowing officers to quickly respond to water emergencies.
The mayor said blocking access to the Dundee Island boat ramp is not ideal because emergency responders rely on it to launch rescue operations.
“We don’t want to put up anything that could delay access to the water because those crucial seconds may be the difference between saving a life and having to recover a body,” he said.
Instead, Lora said the city is focused on practical solutions that improve safety while preserving emergency access.
According to the mayor, Passaic has experienced more than seven water-related incidents since 2016, including people swept away during storms, vehicle crashes into waterways and other river emergencies.
