By Jack Spaulding As warm days make lakes and streams more inviting, Indiana Conservation Officers want to remind Hoosiers to make water safety a priority throughout the summer. “We urge all Hoosiers recreating around our waterways to recognize the danger water poses, even to strong swimmers or experienced boaters,” said Capt. Jet Quillen, of DNR Law Enforcement. When you and your family are around water, follow these basic safety tips: • Discuss the dangers of water with your family and loved ones before going out. • Tell someone where you are going and when you will return. • Never go alone. Go with a buddy. • Do not venture around flooded or fast-moving waterways. • Wear a life jacket. • Keep an extra watchful eye on children. • Avoid alcohol. If you go boating, make sure you know the rules and boat safely. Reduce speed in unfamiliar areas and be aware of unusual water conditions respective to your size and type of boat. These are not only safety tips, but also important environmental considerations. Designate a sober boat operator. Alcohol causes impaired balance, blurred vision, poor coordination, impaired judgment and slower reaction time. Wave action, sun exposure and wind can magnify the effects. It is illegal to operate a motorboat or personal watercraft in Indiana while intoxicated due to alcohol or drugs. Indiana law defines intoxication as having a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or greater. Each life jacket should be United States Coast Guard approved, in good working condition and size appropriate for the wearer. New life jackets are designed to be lighter, less obtrusive and more comfortable. Inflatable lifejackets allow mobility and flexibility for activities like boating, fishing or paddling, and can be much cooler in warmer weather than older-style life jackets. Three fishermen rescued Indiana Conservation Officers rescued three fishermen after their boat sank on Spear Lake the afternoon of May 22. At 3:15 p.m., Kosciusko County Dispatch received a call of boaters in the water and in distress. Conservation officers Nathan Hooley and Jordan Boggs responded within minutes. With the help of nearby boaters, they pulled all three anglers from the water. The three were transported to shore, checked out, and cleared by EMS. The investigation showed while one fisherman was trying to retrieve a fishing rod which had fallen in the water, the boat took on water and sank. The boat did not have the required Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) on board. By law, wearable PFDs are required for every person on a boat. The Conservation Officers were assisted by North Webster Police Department, and the Turkey Creek Fire & EMS. Redbird SRA dedicates new office The Redbird State Recreation Area dedicated its newly constructed property office and entrance gate June 3. The dedication of the facility included comments from DNR Director Dan Bortner, and from Tim Garrett, a member of the Indiana Trails Advisory Board. Following the ceremony, property staff and members of the Indiana Four-Wheel Drive Association provided short off-road vehicle rides. The new facility, funded with a federal grant from the Recreational Trails Program and the State Off-Road Vehicle Program, combines staff offices, a lobby for exhibits, public restrooms and an entrance gate. The property offices at Redbird and Interlake SRAs were both designed by Hafer. “This facility combines several services into one location for an efficient use of staffing and space,” said Indiana State Parks Director Terry Coleman. “We look forward to making access to Redbird easier for our guests, and to the future use and development of this site.” Redbird SRA was Indiana’s first publicly owned property allowing off-road vehicle recreation. It has grown from an initial 200 acres to its current 1,450 acres with 700 acres open for off-road vehicle recreation. The new office at Redbird SRA (on.IN.gov/redbird) is at 15470 W County Road 350 N, Dugger, IN 47848. Juvenile killed in ORV accident Indiana Conservation Officers were investigating a fatal off-road vehicle (ORV) accident occurring the night of May 29. At 9 p.m., officers responded to the 9400 block of N 500 E in LaPorte County to investigate a serious ORV accident with bodily injury. Upon arrival, officers learned a 13-year-old juvenile operator lost control of a side-by-side ORV while attempting to turn at a high rate of speed. The maneuver caused the ORV to roll over and ejected the occupants. Three juveniles were treated at the scene for minor injuries, a 15-year-old passenger was airlifted to a Chicago trauma center with serious injuries, and a 14-year-old passenger was later pronounced deceased at Northwest Health – LaPorte. Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication, or e-mail at jackspaulding@hughes.net. |
