Department of Natural Resources Begging Boaters to Keep Safety in Mind

(KNSI) – The long Memorial Day weekend is here, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking boaters to keep safety in mind.

“Everyone who uses the water has a role in keeping Minnesota’s lakes and rivers safe,” said Conservation Officer Matt Miller, who is part of the Department of Natural Resources Enforcement Division’s marine unit.

Anglers, kayakers, and paddlers will soon be joining water skiers, wakeboarders, jet skiers, and tubers on the waterways. “Water is synonymous with Minnesota, and it’s great that summer means spending time on the lake for so many people,” Miller added. “We just want to make sure everyone who’s out there prioritizes safety – for themselves and everyone else. Our goal is to ensure everyone who heads to the water comes back with nothing but positive memories and a desire to get out there again.”

Here are Miller’s top water safety tips:

Wear a life jacket, don’t just bring it. The law requires children under 10 to wear a life jacket when the boat is underway, but wearing one is the best way for people of all ages to survive an accidental fall into the water.

Leave alcohol on shore. Operating a boat under the influence is illegal and the single greatest factor in fatal boating accidents.

Check safety equipment. Ensure life jackets are in good condition and fit the wearer. On motorboats, ensure carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, navigation lights, and sound-producing devices are in good condition. Wear the engine cut-off lanyard anytime the boat is underway.

Own your wake. Large wakes can negatively affect the shoreline and be hazardous to other people recreating on the water.

Take a boater education course. New requirements mean all boaters must complete the course. See the DNR website for more information.

DNR Outreach Specialist Lisa Dugan is warning about water temps this time of year. “Even if you’re a strong swimmer and you unexpectedly fall into the water, that cold shock response. It’s an involuntary gasp that your body makes, and without a life jacket on, keeping your head above water, that can be a really dangerous situation.”

Up to about 70 degrees, it is natural for the body to react to cold water by gasping. It makes people susceptible to drowning. She echoed Miller’s plea to wear a life jacket. “Check your life jacket. Make sure you have life jackets that are in good condition, that they’re going to fit properly the people that are on your boat, set a good example by wearing your life jacket.”

Another recommendation is to keep aware of the rest of the lake. Make sure you know what others are doing at all times.

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