"...And Then Go Home..."

"Where she fell was directly at the base of the falls; the water comes down and churns, just like a vortex."

It's one of the natural wonders of the geological world we live in, straddling the borders of two countries on the North American Continent. Visitors come to Niagara Falls from around the world, eager to see for themselves the height, breadth, and mighty power of those falling waters, churning themselves into a far-flung spray. It is indeed a sight to behold.



The force of the water, the majesty of nature, the deafening roaring sound coupled with the sight engulfs the senses of the viewers in a dramatic display of nature's diversity and natural wonders. One assumes that a natural sense of caution must overtake most viewers' perceptions as they watch the tumbling water swish over the falls and onto the Niagara river below.

The Falls have held a fascination for most people who travel there to witness their aquatic performance of endless renewal. And some of that fascination is channelled into a personal challenge for some, who have sought to perform life-challenging acts of acrobatic skills as though to defy the power of the Falls.

And then there is another category of people who see, but do not seem quite to understand the level and extent of danger they place themselves in when they confront the Falls and vie with one another for the challenge of courting accidents by going where they should not, where signage clearly warns of the dangers involved.

Sweeping the unwary to their deaths. It is usually young men who express reckless behaviour, making an attempt to demonstrate their braggadocio, their arrogant cockiness, in the casual manner in which they approach the potential for doing themselves real harm. On this latest occasion, it was a young woman tourist from Japan who lost her life.

"She chose to put herself in harm's way. She was holding an umbrella while she was straddling the railing. She was a slight woman; that may have played a part." Chief Doug Mann, Niagara Falls Fire Department

The Niagara Parks Police and Niagara Regional Police and Niagara Falls Fire Department, all of which first-responder organizations are accustomed to these incidents, along with an emergency medical services group scoured the area where she was seen plunging into the river from a height about 20 metres from the top of the falls.

"On the one hand we need an ability to view the falls. And o matter what structure we put around it, people will still attempt to beat it. In contrast, if you look at the American side, most of the area has direct-water access." Chief Doug Kane, Niagara Parks Police

As it was, even with the use of special lights and thermal-imaging-rescue equipment no signs of the woman were discovered. They did discover the body of an unidentified man whose body was found in the lower Niagara River whirlpool. And the day previous Niagara police were busy in a 4-hour rescue operation involving a man who fell into the gorge, breaking his leg.

He was among a few other men, hikers who had climbed over a safety wall. "He was navigating in the dark", police said. Tourists love the Falls, but they try the patience and the professional rescue skills of first-responders hoping to retrieve the too-eager and reckless tourists from traps they have made for themselves.

"There's the discussion from time to time (about more security around the falls), but we have 11 million people here yearly. and almost all of them are able to view the falls safely and then go home."

It is what most prudent people would aspire to do; view the falls safely, and return home with memory aided by photographs taken without resorting to putting oneself into mortal danger.