Oregon House OKs whitewater rafting helmet bill

In a move prompted by a rafter’s death on the Deschutes River, the Oregon House on Thursday passed House Bill 2652, requiring that rafting guides and outfitters that serve Class 3 whitewater or higher make helmets available for their customers’ use.

Rep. Chris Gorsek (D-Troutdale) said introduced the bill after hearing about one of his constituents, Sharon Birge, who lost her life in a rafting accident in 2015.

Birge, a 67-year-old Boeing employee, suffered a traumatic head injury, not completely apparent at the time, on a guided rafting trip down the lower Deschutes River on July 6, 2015. It wasn’t until hours after the injury that it became apparent that Birge needed medical attention.

Sharon and her husband Robert, their daughter Shawna Wellman and two grandchildren were on board the raft at the time as well.

“Having spoken with Sharon’s family, it is apparent that had helmets been available she would have insisted that the whole family wear them.” Gorsek said of his sponsorship of the legislation. “They mentioned that Sharon was mindful of safety and insisted her family use seat belts soon after they were introduced, she was uniquely insistent at a time when most were apathetic about these kinds of safety measures.”

After originally introducing the bill in 2017, the concept was refined with the help of stakeholders including professionals from the industry, Gorsek’s office said in a news release.

“I undertook this legislation in honor of Sharon and to keep others in similar circumstances safe,” Gorsek added. “I am proud that we were able to get this passed in the House and look forward to advocating for it in the Oregon Senate.”