RAYSTOWN LAKE, Pa. — This August, "Think Five and Stay Alive" with these five important water safety tips to remember when boating or swimming throughout the remainder of the summer, and all year long at Raystown Lake.
1. Wear a life jacket. State law requires that a lifejacket is available for every person on board a boat, and children 12 and under must have it on while underway. Loaner jackets are available at most Corps Lakes.
2. Alcohol and water don’t mix. More than half of all drowning deaths are related to alcohol consumption.
3. Watch your children. It only takes a child an average of 20 seconds to drown. Be a water watcher and designate someone to always watch children or any person with special needs while on or around the water.
4. Know your limits. Don’t give in to peer pressure about jumping off a bluff or swimming farther than you should. Recognize your limitations and stay within them.
5. Safe boating. Take a boating safety course. Know the law and rules of the road before you boat. The U.S. Coast Guard reports that the majority of boating-related fatalities involve operators who have not received any boating safety instruction.
Go to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District’s website at http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Missions/DamsRecreation/Raystown/WaterSafety.aspx for tips on how to keep you and your family safe.
"Think Five and Stay Alive" throughout the rest of the summer and make your next trip to a Corps lake a safe and enjoyable one.
Release no. 14-017