Authorities emphasizing boating safety on Lake of the Ozarks ahead of Memorial Day
LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. (KMIZ)
Authorities are encouraging people to keep boat safety in mind as they head out onto the water this Memorial Day.
The U.S. Coast Guard reported 658 fatal boating accidents in 2021 and says 83% of drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and Ameren Missouri will be bringing attention to the issue by giving free T-shirts to kids on the Lake of the Ozarks wearing life jackets. The goal is to raise awareness about wearing life jackets near or on the lake.
In 2019, most drowning incidents occurred on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through the months of June, July and August, according to the MSHP. A Chicago man drowned last June after jumping off a cliff at the lake. Another man was killed in July after bring thrown from a boat without a life jacket.
“The best way to protect yourself is to wear a life jacket,” said Bryan Vance, supervisor of shoreline management at Ameren, which operates the lake's hydroelectric dam.
Ameren and the MSHP recommend all boaters follow the Coast Guard’s recommendations for proper life jacket use for children:
- Always wear a life jacket around water, including on a boat or on a dock.
- Ensure the life jacket is a correct fit for the child's height and weight.
- Make sure the life jacket is properly fastened.
- Check the fit by lifting the shoulders of the life jacket. If it hits the top of the child’s ears, it’s too big. Make sure there is no excess room above the openings and that the life jacket does not go over their chin or face.
- A life jacket does not replace adult supervision.
