Take a moment to remember water safety

People will spend more and more time on our wonderful lakes and rivers as the weather continues to warm up. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sent out a few safety tips this week that we wanted to share.

We’ll admit, a lot of them probably seem like common sense. It’s the same common sense that tells you to put your seatbelt on in the car. But since many of us can be given to ignoring that little voice of warning from time to time, we wanted to share them again here.

We also wanted to add our own hopes that everyone will take the time this summer to be safe on the water. Troop E alone has had six fatal water accidents in the past year, including a 25-year-old from Fredericktown; a 58-year-old from Jackson; a 43-year-old from Wappapello; a 61-year-old from Neelyville; a 6-year-old from Fairview Heights, Illinois; and a 71-year-old from Poplar Bluff.

Before entering or being around open water (lakes, rivers, ponds, etc.), the Corps of Engineers urges residents to keep these five things in mind because they could save your life or the life of someone you care about.

• Expect the unexpected – Accidents can happen within seconds, so always be prepared for the unexpected. If you are ejected from a boat, fall, or jump into water that is colder than 70 degrees, you can inhale water from involuntary gasping, hyperventilation, panic, and sometimes vertigo that can cause you to drown. You can also be knocked unconscious if you are ejected from your boat or fall into the water along the shoreline while fishing.

• Wear a life jacket – By providing time to be rescued, it will help ensure you survive an unexpected fall into the water. It can also save your life if you become exhausted due to fatigue, waves, or current while swimming. An adult can drown in 60 seconds, and it takes a strong swimmer 10 minutes to put on a life jacket after entering the water. Life Jackets Worn…Nobody Mourns.

• Know your swimming abilities – Be aware that swimming in open water is different from swimming in a pool, and your swimming ability decreases with age. It is never too late to take swimming lessons and learn to swim well. Several people every year drown while swimming to retrieve boats and toys. Let those go because they are not worth losing your life over.

• Alcohol and water are a deadly combination – Alcohol induces an inner ear condition (caloric labyrinthitis) that can cause you to become disoriented when underwater and not realize which way is up. If you jump or fall in the water, you can become disoriented and swim down instead of up to safety, causing you to drown. This is more likely to happen if you have been consuming alcohol.

• Understand “boater’s hypnosis” – It is a condition brought on by the effects of sun, wind, noise, vibration, and motion experienced during a day of boating. Boater’s hypnosis can slow your reaction time almost as much as if you were legally intoxicated. Adding alcohol to this condition intensifies the effects.

• Be Aware of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning While Boating — Carbon monoxide poisoning is not limited to boats with enclosed cabins. It has proven to be deadly on open motorboats too. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless toxic gas produced when a carbon-based fuel burns, such as gasoline, propane, charcoal, and oil. Carbon monoxide can kill you while you are on or in the water near a boat, so use a marine carbon monoxide detector, always maintain fresh air circulation, seat children in the forward-most seating on a boat, shut off boat motors to avoid unnecessary idling, be aware of emissions from other boats, and seek medical attention immediately if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning.