Woodward Reservoir gets busy on last weekend of swim season [Video]

STANISLAUS COUNTY, Calif. — The Labor Day weekend is the last chance for swimmers to enjoy the waters of Woodward Reservoir for the summer, and it’s also the last chance for Stanislaus County Sheriff’s deputies to get their message of safety out following a dangerous season.

“I think we started the summer off with a lot of drownings towards the beginning of it,” said Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Veronica Esquivez. “It seemed as if we were going to have a lot more drownings than usual based on how many we had at the beginning.”

Fortunately, the early start cooled down and deputies said the county is back to the average number of drownings for this time of the year, but with the long weekend expected to bring packed crowds to waterways, first responders are ramping up their …