Corps of Engineers asks you to practice water safety while on the water

ST. PAUL, Minn. – As Labor Day Weekend approaches, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, asks everyone to take a moment and remember to be safe while on the lakes and rivers this weekend.

The Corps of Engineers encourages everyone planning on enjoying water-related activities this holiday, and in the future, to always remember to wear your life jacket — just having the life-saving device on board the watercraft is not enough.

Each year, too many drowning-related deaths occur that could have been prevented. In some cases, the drowning occurs because people underestimate the power of the water and overestimate their swimming ability. Boating accidents and/or falls overboard contribute to drowning incidents, too. Other factors such as alcohol, hypothermia and neglecting to wear a life jacket, or personal flotation device, also contribute to too many preventable deaths.

With the onset of September comes cooler water temperatures and the additional risk of hypothermia. Any water temperature below 70 degrees is considered cold water and means an increased risk of hypothermia.  So while you are out fishing, boating or waterfowl hunting, please remember to not only bring your life jacket, or float coat, but also wear it. It could save your life.

If you are recreating at one of the many Corps-managed recreation areas, feel free to check with a park ranger if you need a loaner life jacket. For a list of Corps recreation sites, please visit www.recreation.gov.
The nearly 700 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, employees working at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states serve the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. Through the Corps’ Fiscal Year 2011 $175 million budget, nearly 2,800 non-Corps jobs were added to the regional economy as well as $271 million to the national economy. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.

-30-