News Release
| Release Number: | 04-167 |
| Dated: | 9/1/2004 |
| Contact: | Diana J. Fredlund, 503-808-4510 |
Water safety is still important during this last holiday of summer
PORTLAND, Ore. - Labor Day weekend is known to be a busy time at rivers and lakes across Oregon. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is encouraging the public to practice water safety while enjoying the benefits of outdoor recreation during this last homage to summer. To help ensure a safe weekend for recreation users, the Corps' water safety team provides the following safety tips:
Boaters! Before Getting Underway ...
* Know your boat and know the rules of the road. Check your boat for all required safety equipment. Visit http://www.cgaux.org/cgauxweb/public/pubframe.htm for information on free vessel safety checks.
* Know the size of your boat, the number of passengers and the amount of extra equipment that will be on-board. DON'T OVERLOAD YOUR BOAT!
* Everyone should wear a life jacket - don't just carry them on board. Leave your alcohol behind. Increase your safety, not your risks! Check the weather forecast.
* File a float plan with a member of your family or a friend. View the Coast Guard Federal Regulations governing boating at http://www.cgaux.org/cgauxweb/public/pubframe.htm and your state laws at http://www.osmb.state.or.us/.
Anchoring in Navigable Waters
* Swift currents, high flows and cold water present unique boating and anchoring conditions on many rivers. To anchor safely, use anchor lines that are five to seven times the depth of the water. River depth may exceed 100 feet in some places, requiring long anchor lines.
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* Be sure to use a float for the anchor line to serve as a buffer and to reduce the risk of getting the anchor line caught in the propeller. Lower, don't throw the anchor to avoid line tangles. Anchor only off the bow; anchoring off the stern or side can capsize your boat.
* For more information about anchor safety, please visit the Corps' on-line brochure page at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/B/brochures.htm.
Cold Water Survival
Your life may depend on a better understanding of cold water. Many suspected drowning victims actually die from cold exposure or hypothermia. Hypothermia is a condition in which the body loses heat faster than it can produce it. Violent shivering develops, which may give way to confusion and a loss of body movement. If you fall in the water, in any season, hypothermia may occur.
It's important to remember not to discard clothing. Clothing layers provide some warmth that may actually assist you in fighting hypothermia. This includes shoes, hats and your life jacket!
Learn to Swim
Swimmers, since most people drown within 10 feet to 30 feet of safety, it is important that you and your family LEARN TO SWIM.
Please remember:
* Wear a life jacket at all times when near the water.
* Never rely on toys such as inner tubes and water wings to stay afloat.
* Don't take chances by over estimating your swimming skills.
* Swim only in designated swimming areas.
* Never swim alone
* Reach or throw, but don't go in the water to help someone in trouble.
* Never dive into lakes and rivers - the results can be tragic. All too often, hidden dangers lurk beneath the surface of the water, including rock outcrops or shallow water.
Watch Small Children
Each year, about 200 children drown and several thousand others are treated in hospitals for submersion accidents that leave permanent brain damage and respiratory health problems.
Remember, it only takes a few seconds for a small child to wander away and as little as eight seconds for a child to drown. Children have a natural curiosity and attraction to water. Watch children at all times when around the water.
Alcohol - The Permanent Fun Killer
It's a fact: alcohol and water do not mix! Unfortunately, many people ignore this and about 3,000 of them each year across the United States are wrong - dead wrong! More than half of all drowning fatalities involve alcohol. Remember, if you plan to have fun in, on or near the water, don't drink alcohol.
Outdoor Recreation
The Corps is our nation's largest federal provider of outdoor recreation. Nationwide, the Corps operates more than 2,500 recreation areas at 456 projects (mostly reservoirs) and leases an additional 1,800 sites to state or regional parks and recreation authorities or private interests. In fact, about 10 percent of the United States population visits a Corps park each year for hiking, fishing, camping, boating, hunting and other recreational opportunities.
For recreational opportunities at Corps facilities in Oregon, visit our Web site at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/s/rec_home.htm. For information about the Corps' nationwide recreation programs, visit http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/. For more water safety tips and information, visit the Corps' National Water Safety Program Web site at http://watersafety.usace.army.mil.
The Corps offers this final thought: make your visit to any recreation area a safe and enjoyable one. And remember, water safety saves lives!