Staying safe in the water

With temperatures rising into the 90s, it’s no surprise people are looking for ways to beat the heat.

But with the urge to flock to local lakes for a summer getaway, swimmers and boaters should pay close attention to safety regulations, Julie Mueller, park ranger with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Pomona Lake, said.

“The No. 1 thing is wear a life jacket,” she said, adding that children under the age of 12 are required to wear a life jacket at all times, and each boat is required to have as many life jackets as people on the boat.

Mueller said it’s been a safe summer so far, with no water-related fatalities or injuries.

Cherie Sage, with Safe Kids Kansas Inc., said parental supervision is another key component of water safety.

“Never assume swimming lessons or life jackets make your child drown-proof,” she said. “These precautions are important, but they’re no substitute for constant adult supervision.”

To help with ensuring the use of life jackets, Mueller said Pomona Lake offers a life jacket loaner program. A handful of children’s and adult jackets, donated by the Pomona Lake Ski Club, can be borrowed during boating at four boards around the lake, she said.

Sage said she’s unsure why some people don’t follow life jackets laws.

“It’s a person’s choice that they are going to make safe decisions for themselves and their family,” she said. “The laws are out there for a reason.”

Other safety tips include having boat passengers and drivers sober, not letting children operate watercrafts, avoiding swimming near docks and marinas with electrical hookups and learning infant and child CPR, Sage said.

“You need a designated driver while driving a car, and you need one driving a boat, too,” she said. “Driving a boat is just like driving a car.”