LITTLE ROCK — With schools, from kindergartens to universities,
out this week for spring break as temperatures flirt
with the 80s, many Arkansans will make their first
visits of the year to nearby lakes and rivers, and some
will even venture to beaches a day’s drive away.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers urges these
students and their families to play it safe on and
around the water.
Before the break from classes began, Corps rang
ers from Lake Ouachita and DeGray Lake concen
trated on getting safety messages to young people,
not only for spring break but for the warmer days ofsummer ahead.
“The rangers worked on reaching more than 500 college students at Henderson State University and Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia and National Park Community College in Hot Springs,” said Brian Westfall, natural resources specialist at the Corps of Engineers Ouachita project management office in Mountain Pine.
Park Ranger Amy Shultz, also in the Corps offices in Mountain Pine, said rangers will also visit other schools in the months ahead.
“They concentrated on the colleges before spring break, and now will come career days and other water-safety programs for high schools and intermediate schools,” Shultz said. “There will be programs encouraging people to learn to swim and to always wear a life jacket when on the water.”
Westfall said there are some essential rules to remember while being on or near the water.
“Don’t let peer pressure get to you and let someone talk you into doing something unsafe or that you don’t want to do,” he said. “Don’t let someone else influence you to cross the line and not be safe.”
He also said life jackets are often left behind or go unused because people think they are bulky or unfashionable. He said new approved vests arelightweight and even stylish, compared to traditional life jackets.
“If you are boating, wear a life jacket, even if you have no intention of being in the water,” Westfall said. “Even though the air temperature is getting warmer, the water temperatures are still within a few degrees of what it was in winter.
“If you fall overboard, the natural reflex is to gasp when the cold hits you. That gasp will kill you as you suck water into your lungs.”
The Corps also reminds boaters and swimmers that alcohol impairs judgment and greatly increases the chance of trouble in the water.
“Don’t cruise with booze,” Westfall said.
In addition, swimmers should always have a buddy and never swim alone.
“Never overestimate your swimming abilities,” he said. “Around 90 percent of all swimmers cannot swim more than 40 yards at a stretch.”
Westfall said the most recent drowning at Lake Ouachita was a young collegeage swimmer on one of thelake’s many islands.
“He wanted to swim back to shore and get something,” Westfall said.
“He could see the shore, but it was more than he could swim, and he was alone.
“You cannot remove all risks, but putting safety first and following these simple tips will help people enjoy their days on the water and make lots of happy memories.”
Staff writer Wayne Bryan can be reached at (501) 244-4460 or wbryan@arkansasonline.com.
> Water safety tips
During spring holidays, many Arkansans who have not been on the water all
winter may have forgotten some of the rules of safe boating. Following these
10 wise water tips from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Lake Ouachita
Field Office could mean the difference between life and death.
◊Don’t let anyone talk you into anything you don’t want to do. Peer pressure
kills. Don’t engage in dangerous activities.
◊Choose the right life jacket for you, and wear it. The new inflatable life jackets
are lightweight compared to traditional life jackets.
◊If you are boating, wear a life jacket, even if you know how to swim and don’t
expect to enter the water. Falls overboard are one of the main reasons people
drown, because your first gasp reflex after falling into water can kill you. It only
takes a tablespoon of water in your lungs to cause you to drown.
◊Swim and boat sober. Drinking alcohol impairs your judgment and greatly
increases your chances for trouble around the water.
◊Always swim with a buddy; never swim alone. Always tell a reliable person
where you are going and when you expect to return.
◊Swim in only designated swim areas.
◊Never overestimate your swimming abilities, especially in open water. Around
90 percent of all swimmers cannot swim a distance of 40 yards at a stretch.
◊Any beach that has breaking waves could have the potential to develop rip
currents near the shore that can pull even the strongest swimmers out to sea.
If you get caught in one of these narrow rip currents, swim parallel to the shore
until the current stops pushing you out.
◊Diving could be a neck-breaking experience, so never dive into unknown
waters.
◊HELP (Heat Escape Lessening Position) can save your life in cold water. In
this position, your knees are drawn up to your chest with your arms grasping
them together, helping you retain an adequate body temperature until you are
rescued.
Tri-Lakes, Pages 49 on 03/22/2012