WADING INTO THE WATERS: SAFETY PRECAUTIONS KEY TO BOATING, SWIMMING FUN

Don Carnahan, right, patrolman and investigator with the Missouri State Water Patrol, talked with Earshal Long, left, of Bigger, Ark.; and Lawrence Hamilton of Rector, Ark. after a boat equipment check on Lake Wappapello. Both fishermen wore life jackets even though they are only required to have life jackets accessible in the boat.

Don Carnahan, a patrolman and investigator for the Missouri State Water Patrol, wrote a warning citation for speeding in a no wake zone in the Sundowner Marina at Lake Wappapello while the fisherman checked his boat for a fire extinguisher.

Boaters kept watch on their skier while having fun on Lake Wappapello near Poplar Bluff. Skiers are not required to wear life jackets by law but most do.

Summer fun usually coincides with water, but the dangers of water can quickly bring an outing to a tragic halt if certain safety precautions are not taken.

Taking some simple precautions can save lives.

Brett Blackman, assistant manager at Jackson Municipal Pool, said swimmers should never swim alone. Inexperienced swimmers should also have adult supervision, he said. And he encourages them to take swimming lessons.

In emergency situations, Blackman said the most important thing you should do is to stay calm.

There are many things that can get you in trouble in and around water. You may experience muscle cramping while swimming, which can place you in a dire situation. Remember to stay calm, place yourself in a floating position and if you can, try to work the muscle cramp out by massaging it.

But more importantly you need to stay calm and afloat. Staying afloat allows you to move toward the edge of the pool or shoreline where you can better deal with the cramp.

There are many Red Cross water safety courses that teach swimmers helpful tips for saving their lives in the water.

Other pointers for safe swimming are as simple as picking a pool that has an adequate staffing of lifeguards. Also see if there is plenty of rescue equipment available. Clean pools are safer pools. The pool should have rules for swimmers and ropes should be used to mark changes in depths. There should also be depth signs around the pool to show where the water depth varies.

While at a public pool you should always listen to the lifeguards. At the Jackson pool, anyone who wants to dive must first show their ability to swim a lap around the pool. This show lifeguards that the swimmer has the strength to dive and swim to the side of the pool, Blackman said.

Pool owners should also look into Red Cross water safety and CPR courses, he said. Pool owners should also be aware of local regulations governing pool ownership in their area. And they should have rescue equipment on hand in case of emergency.

But swimming isn't the only water hazard.

While boating is another great way to spend a summer day, boaters should be aware of the particular dangers, such as fatigue, that are specific to boating.

Cpl. Mark Richerson of the Missouri Water Patrol said the biggest key to boating safety is planning properly and stocking your boat with the proper safety equipment.

Before a trip make sure all features on your boat work. Know the rules and regulations for boating and remember to be a defensive boater.

Richerson said operator controlled factors play a big part in boat accidents. Add alcohol to your boating experience and you can have deadly results.

Injury or death occurs in more than 50 percent of alcohol related accidents. So far this year, there have been 200 boating accidents. That number is about the same as last year.

Of those 200 accidents, 94 have been injuries, 14 fatalities other than drowning and 15 drownings.

Alcohol arrests on Missouri waters are just below 300 for the year and drug related arrests on Missouri's waterways are more than 800 so far, Richerson said.

All that adds up to potential disaster on Missouri's waterways. Since Missouri's Water Patrol only employs 82 full-time officers it is not hard to imagine that many drunken boaters haven't been nabbed by the long arm of the law.

The picture isn't so bleak as many other agencies police in and around waterways to further ensure law abiding boaters that the waterways aren't littered with unsafe drunken or drugged boaters.

Another way boaters can become better boaters is by picking up a copy of the Missouri Boater's Manual from Missouri Water Patrol. The manual is also available online at www.dps.state.mo.us/dps/mswp.

Swimming safely

Simple rules can make summer boatting and swimming safer

-- Always swim with a friend, never alone.

-- Don't dive or jump into water that you are unfamiliar with. In unfamiliar waters, wade into the water to avoid hitting your head on a shallow bottom.

-- Always be prepared for an emergency.

-- Don't push or jump on others while swimming.