TULSA — As the Labor Day holiday approaches, the Tulsa District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expecting a large turnout at lakes in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The Corps is urging visitors to follow these safety tips and return home safely.

Before heading out for the lake or river ensure you have a life jacket for everyone. Only wear properly sized, U.S. Coast Guard approved, activity appropriate life jackets. Ensure everyone wears their life jacket.

On average, 9 out of 10 people who drowned at a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake or river project didn’t wear a life jacket. Life jackets save lives by keeping you afloat and providing time for rescue.

If you plan to swim at a lake, do so at designated swim beaches marked with a buoy line. Take turns being a “water watcher” and keep an eye on children when they are swimming. A child can drown in 20 seconds so stay within arm’s reach while supervising them.

Know your swimming ability. Each year, swimmers get into trouble swimming after a toy, a boat or some other object drifts away. Let it go, or put on a properly fitted life jacket before retrieving the item.

Summer is ending, but you don’t have to let the fun end this Labor Day weekend. Wear a life jacket to help ensure you return home alive and encourage your friends to wear one as well.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the nation’s largest federal provider of outdoor water-based recreation, managing more than 420 lake and river projects in 43 states and hosting more than 370 million visitors per year. With 90 percent of these recreation areas within 50 miles of metropolitan areas they provide a diverse range of outdoor activities close to home and to people of all ages.

For a list of Tulsa District campground and recreation area closures and reopenings, visit www.swt.usace.army.mil/home/parkandcampgroundclosures.aspx.

For more information on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recreation sites and activities, visit www.CorpsLakes.us.