PHOENIX — There have been more than 300 drownings in Arizona's lakes and rivers since 2000, and in all but one case the person was not wearing a life jacket. It's why the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Lake Patrol Division is reminding people about the importance of wearing one.
"A number of our casualties could've been avoided this year had they been wearing life jackets," said Deputy Sheriff Paramedic, James Cesolini.
Cesolini has been with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Lake Patrol Division for about 20 years. He said officers will patrol several lakes and rivers including Saguaro Lake and Bartlett Lake. His goal is for everyone to have fun while being safe.
"When we go out on our boats we are actively looking for people violating the law," he said. "We're also looking for people who don't have appropriate equipment from life jackets to fire extinguishers. There's a number of boating laws and we're looking to make sure everybody is obeying those laws which creates a safe environment for everybody that's out on the lake."
He said temperatures are just starting to heat up, bringing more and more people to the water. With more people, there's more cause for concern.
"If you don't know how to swim, wear a life jacket," Cesolini said. "We're seeing more people coming to our recreation areas and as we get more and more people that's contributing to more and more emergencies and more medical emergencies and injuries."
Drinking lots of water, watching children around the water, having a designated boat operator and acting responsibly are all good tips to keep in mind when going to the lake.
Wearing a life jacket is most important, even if you're an experienced swimmer. That's because when a person falls in the water sometimes, they can get disoriented or get hurt and lose consciousness. The life jacket will help keep them afloat making it easier to breathe and easier for the person to be found.
"Unlike a backyard pool, our lakes and rivers you can't touch the bottom," Cesolini said. "There's no close side to reach for either. If you see somebody in distress do your best to help them. It's very challenging for us, especially on the rivers and lakes, to get to where you are to begin searching for somebody who has potentially drowned. Wearing a life jacket can mean the difference between life and death."
In Arizona, it's mandated children under 12 years old wear a life jacket. You also must have a life jacket on board for each person over the age of 12. Throwable flotation devices should be on boats, accessible, in case of emergency and all life jackets used should be bright in color.
While the typical life jackets used don't expire, it is important people inspect them each year before use. Look for holes in the material, seam tears and threading that has become compromised or weak. Also, look at the floatation foam to see if it's misshaped or if it has shrunk in size. Any of the above may compromise the flotation device, so it's best to replace it.
Drowning Prevention Tips:
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children between ages 1-4 aside from birth defects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three children die every day as a result of drowning. Here are some tips from the CDC on how to protect children around water:
Learn life-saving skills.
Everyone should know the basics of swimming (floating, moving through the water) and CPR.
Fence it off.
Install a four–sided isolation fence, with self–closing and self–latching gates, around backyard swimming pools. This can help keep children away from the area when they aren’t supposed to be swimming. Pool fences should be completely separate the house and play area from the pool.
Life jackets are a must.
Make sure kids wear life jackets in and around natural bodies of water, such as lakes or the ocean, even if they know how to swim. Life jackets can be used in and around pools for weaker swimmers too.
Keep a close watch
When kids are in or near water (including bathtubs), closely supervise them at all times. Because drowning happens quickly and quietly, adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like reading books, talking on the phone, or using alcohol and drugs.
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