Water Safety Tips for the Summer

As more people take to area lakes and pools to enjoy the outdoors this summer, you do need to be reminded of some safety tips. Corporal Madison Cox of the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Unit share the top ten things to remember as you plan to enjoy Louisiana waterways this summer.

One of the key rules is to always wear a life jacket when you are out on a boat in the lake or river.

“Not just for this weekend, but for every time somebody comes out boating, we want people to be safe and have fun,” said Cox, “Make sure they have a float plan. Let people know what body of water they’re going to. How long they’re going to be out in case an emergency does happen.”

He also reminds boaters to be sure you have a boating safety card. If you were born after January 1st 1984, you must have one with you on the boat.

The goal of getting this safety information out to the public is to minimize accidents. Again, every person in a boat should have a life jacket on and anyone driving a boat should not consume alcohol. Another issue to be careful with is not to overload boats with too many people.