Lake Patrol officers from the Brown County Water Improvement District are teaching water safety classes at area schools. Officers Marcus Lively and Samantha Morell taught numerous groups of students at the Early Elementary and Early Middle Schools on Wednesday and Thursday. Lively and Morell demonstrated water safety equipment, and gave instruction on safe water recreation practices. Among the points made:
*** Be aware of the weather. If unexpected changes in air or water temperature occur, and especially if thunder and lightning occur, leave the water immediately.
*** Enter the water feet first, for safety. Always enter unknown or shallow water cautiously. Dive only in water clearly marked as safe for diving, at least nine feet deep with no underwater obstacles.
*** Never swim alone. Always swim with a buddy.
*** If you don’t know how to swim, take a Learn-to-Swim class, such as those offered by the Red Cross. Also know what to do in a water emergency, including how to safely help someone in trouble in the water, how to call for emergency help, and how to administer CPR.
*** Always use a life jacket. Have other safety equipment with you, such as a throwable float, a first aid kit, and a cell phone to call for help.
*** Drowning is a leading cause of death for children in the United States. On average ten people die from drowning each day. Two of the ten are under age 14. For children under age five, 87% of drowning fatalities happen in home pools or hot tubs. Children ages 5 – 17 are more likely to drown in natural water, such as a pond or lake.
Texas state law requires a Boater Safety Certificate for anyone born after August 31, 1993 who is operating one of the following boats: (a) a motor boat with an engine of more than 15-hp, (b) a personal water craft (i.e. jet-ski), (c) a sailboat longer than 14-feet. In addition the State recommends that all boaters take the boater safety course, regardless of age or type of water craft. The course can be taken online at https://www.boat-ed.com/texas/. The course takes about 30 minutes to complete, then you can print your certificate and carry it with you when boating.
Officers Morell and Lively will teach the water safety class in the Bangs ISD schools on March 19.