Seasonal & Holidays
9 Tips To Stay Safe In Michigan Waters This Season
Swimming, boating, tubing, you name it and Michiganders are found doing it in our lakes and rivers. Here are 9 tips to have a safe season.
MICHIGAN – Being on the water is a favorite Michigan pastime in the summer, from boating to swimming, fishing to tubing, jet skiing to diving. But Michigan officials want locals to keep some tips in mind as they hit the water this season.
According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, there were 116 drownings in Michigan in 2017. Of the 116 drownings in the state last year, 109 were non-boating related, officials said.
May is National Water Safety Month, an observance designed to remind Michiganders to take the proper precautions during water-related activities during the upcoming summer months, and decrease the number of water-associated injuries and deaths in the process.
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Drowning is the fifth leading cause of death for all ages in the United States and the second leading cause of death for children ages 1-14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Swimming and boating are popular summer activities and Michigan is home to thousands of lakes, rivers and pools for families to enjoy,” said Robert Gordon, MDHHS director. “Water safety should be a concern no matter where you and your family recreate this summer, and we urge Michigan residents to follow water safety best practices when in and on the water.”
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Here are 9 tips to keep in mind when enjoying water-related activities:
- Do not mix alcohol with swimming, diving or boating.
- Stay within designated swimming areas.
- Never swim alone, always swim with a buddy.
- Enter the water feet first. Serious injuries can occur from diving headfirst into and hitting the bottom.
- Heed warning flags at public beaches.
- Use a U.S. Coast Guard approved personal floatation device when boating.
- Do not leave a child unattended near a pool
- Enclose pools with self-locking/self-closing fences.
- Keep lifesaving equipment (pole, rope, flotation devices) near the pool.
For more information and tips to ensure water safety, visit the American Red Cross and U.S. Coast Guard websites.
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