Rescuers plucked 10 people from the turbulent water below Loyalhanna Dam near Saltsburg last week.

But no one was in serious danger of drowning.

The rescue was staged by the Derry Township Volunteer Fire Department and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of a water rescue training exercise. Rescuers-in-training were from the Derry, Ligonier, Blairsville and Lloydsville volunteer fire departments. The Corps' controlled water release provided conditions the students may actually encounter. They'll be the first responders for water emergencies at Conemaugh and Loyalhanna Lakes, Loyalhanna Creek and the Kiskiminetas River.

"The unique natural features of the area present a challenging but safe training environment," said Loyalhanna Park manager Dave Bishop. "The rocks create swift currents and there is a slow moving pool just below the swift water."

The rescue training was scheduled to precede the summer boating season. For recreational boaters, the accident that results in the most fatalities is a simple fall overboard. The U.S. Coast Guard reports that in 2006, 275 people died in 721 boating accidents that included someone falling overboard.

"A fall into the water can turn into a life-threatening situation very quickly," said Ruth Wood of the BoatU.S. foundation, a boating advocacy group. "It doesn't take long for exhaustion or hypothermia to drain the life out of you. Boaters and anglers need to be prepared, especially if you are alone."

BoatU.S. recommends the following safety tips: wear a life jacket when boating, inspect your boat ladder for functionality, practice getting into the boat using the ladder under various conditions.