A recent U.S. Coast Guard report indicated that 90 percent of boating incident victims who drowned in 2007 were not wearing a life jacket. Always remember – it won’t work if you don’t wear it!
Some tips for both boating and water safety include:
- Take a boating safety course and/or a swimming course.
- Never swim alone. If you are a marginal swimmer, wear a flotation device.
- Don't mix alcohol or drugs with boating or swimming.
- Never let children swim or boat unsupervised. Remember, children under the age of 10 must wear a life jacket while on a moving boat.
- Keep life jackets accessible – never make someone feel uncomfortable if they choose to wear a life jacket.
- Don't overdo boating and water fun. Don't swim when you are too tired, too cold or too far from safety.
- Learn and obey the "rules of the road" for boating.
- Always be aware of the possibilities of hidden dangers such as underwater obstacles, changing currents and underwater drop-offs.
- Tell someone where you are going and when you will return.
- When you find yourself in a stressful situation, don't panic. If in non-flowing water, float or "dog-paddle" to safety. If in flowing water, float with the current, don't fight against it.
Prevention and common sense can help prevent water-related tragedies. For more information on boating safety, visit www.goboatgeorgia.com or call a DNR Law Enforcement office: Northwest Georgia (770) 769-9680; Northeast Georgia (770) 535-5499; Central East Georgia (706) 595-4211; Central West Georgia (478) 751-6415; Southeast Georgia (912) 685-2145; Southwest Georgia (229) 430-4252; Coastal Georgia (912) 264-7237. To learn more about water safety, visit the Red Cross Web site at www.redcross.org
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