Indiana Conservation Officers issue water safety tips

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With Memorial Day weekend around the corner, Indiana Conservation Officers remind Hoosiers to make water safety a priority now and throughout the summer.

“We urge all Hoosiers to recognize the danger water poses when on or around our waterways,” said Capt. Jet Quillen of the Department of Natural Resources Division of Law Enforcement.

Follow these basic safety tips:

  • Discuss the dangers of water with your family and loved ones before going out
  • Tell someone where you are going and when you will return
  • Go with a buddy
  • Do not venture around flooded or fast-moving waterways
  • Wear a life jacket
  • Keep an extra watchful eye on children
  • Avoid alcohol

Reduce speed in unfamiliar areas and be aware of unusual water conditions respective to your size and type of boat. These are not only safety tips but also important environmental considerations, such as preventing beach erosion, Quillen said.

Designate a sober boat operator. Alcohol causes impaired balance, blurred vision, poor coordination, impaired judgment and slower reaction time. Wave action, sun exposure and wind can magnify these effects. It is illegal to operate a motorboat or personal watercraft while intoxicated due to alcohol or drugs.

Each life jacket should be U.S. Coast Guard approved, in good working condition and size appropriate for the wearer. Inflatable life jackets allow mobility and flexibility for activities like boating, fishing or paddling and can be much cooler in warmer weather than older-style life jackets.

For information, visit on.in.gov/boatered.

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