I wanted to repost this story from last year to emphasize some safety items we need to remember every time before we go on and into the water.... See my summary at the end of this article.
"Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office finds body of man who fell off boat, drowned in Lake Coeur d’Alene
COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho– After a day of searching, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said it found the body of a man who fell off a boat and into Lake Coeur d’Alene.
Investigators said Sunday afternoon they got a call saying there was somebody missing in the water. At first, members from the Kootenai County Dive Rescue Team and the Sonar Team
and Marine Patrols, as well as Coeur d’Alene Police Department and Coeur d’ Alene Fire and Rescue responded and started looking for the man. He was wearing a red shirt, sandals and was in his 40, the sheriff’s office said.
The search was eventually suspended because it got too dark to continue.
On Monday morning, the search was back on. The sheriff’s office said the man’s body was found at about 1:30 p.m. Monday in 11 feet of water about 200 yards from shore.
Deputies said the man fell off a boat and didn’t have a life jacket on. Other people on the boat tried to throw life jackets at him, but he wasn’t able to reach any of them. Investigators said wind and water conditions prevented him from being able to make it back onto the boat.
Deputies said the man had also been drinking and could have been drunk at the time."
August 24, 2021 7:30 AM by Tasha Cain-Gray, KXLY News
SUMMARY: As you can see, I highlighted areas of concern. The common denominator of drownings is of course not wearing a life jacket. It's one thing to not wear a life jacket when it's hot and environmental conditions are mild (kids 14 and under must always wear a life jacket), but far another when the conditions are rough. In hot conditions wearing an inflatable life jacket allows your body heat to escape better to help prevent heat exhaustion/heat stroke. Life jackets must always be readily accessible to put on immediately. The fact he did not have a life jacket on is a big problem but even worse is to add to the fact alcohol to the equation. A question beyond these errors is why they were flowing life jackets and not type 4 throwable floats. Try throwing a light life jacket in the wind is very hard to do as the wind will just throw it away like a kite. However, a type 4 is much easier to throw because it's designed to throw and throw it some distance. Have more than one as having several Type 4's to throw allows the person in the water the option of going for the one that is nearest and liters the water so boaters can see there is something going on in the water. Helps the person in the water from being ran over. It mentions the rough conditions, which should immediately make you put your life jackets on.
I highly recommend you have the Sheriff Marine division/Coast Guard do a safety check on your boat to ensure you have the right gear. They will give you a sticker to place on your boat to prove you are current. Honestly when I go boating with friends and they do not have the required gear I will not go boating with them until they do.
Also, if you have not taken a safe boating class yet, do so before you go boating. Knowing the rules of the road and learning about boating safety saves lives.
Hope this summary helps us be better prepared. It is sad to have examples like this person who lost his life when it could have been prevented.
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